Game 5 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final was a big night for the Florida Panthers. They took down the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 at Rogers Place, giving them a solid 3-2 series lead. Brad Marchand kicked things off with a couple of goals, and Sam Bennett and Eetu Luostarinen joined in on the fun. Also, Sergei Bobrovsky was impressive in goal, racking up 19 crucial saves for Florida. Even though Connor McDavid scored late, which was in the third period, and Corey Perry found the net as well, the Oilers just couldn’t turn things around.

The Panthers kept hitting hard and never let go of the lead. Losing a crucial Game 5 like that, especially at home, definitely brought on a lot of criticism right away. As seen on X, during the conversation between Dennis Bernstein, the senior writer for The Fourth Period, and David Pagnotta, Bernstein really didn’t hold back when it came to his thoughts on the Oilers.

“You know, if you’re a WWE fan, the Panthers put a sleeper hold on the Oilers. I’m sorry, you could talk about how great a road win that was for the Florida Panthers, but what was that from the Oilers? Low energy, no aggressiveness, players standing around. Finally, Connor McDavid scores a goal, and Sam Reinhart comes back and seals the deal,” the journalist remarked, clearly feeling let down by how the Oilers performed in that crucial Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Edmonton just didn’t have the energy or aggression last night. They looked out of sync and uninspired, especially against a Panthers team that took charge right from the start. Shortly after McDavid eventually broke through with a goal for the Oilers, Reinhart scored to crush any hope for a comeback.

In the end, the Oilers just couldn’t keep up the pressure or really challenge Florida’s strong play. Bernstein added, “Just, if you’re an Oilers fan, you’re going to be really disappointed when you had an opportunity to be 60 minutes away from a cup, to put up that performance tonight. I’m sorry, you’ve got to be way better in Florida if you want to come back for a Game 7.”

With a golden opportunity slipping away at home, the Edmonton Oilers now have a tough road ahead in Game 7. They really need to step up their intensity and execution to keep their hopes alive. Do you, however, know the plan that Florida used to secure victory in this match?

The strategy that stopped the Edmonton Oilers from making crucial plays

Florida Panthers star forward Sam Reinhart shared the team’s game-winning strategy during the post-game press conference, saying, “I think I’m upset every time they get a goal. I think when we’re moving like we are, we’re supporting the puck, both offensively and defensively. That’s when we’re at our best. We’ve talked about taking away their time and space. Make them as uncomfortable as we possibly can. That leads to a lot of our offense. That’s what our focus is.”

What’s the main focus of this play? It was preventing Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl from teaming up to rack up goals for their NHL team. They’ve both played their part in the team, and there are times when they come together to score during those key moments. But in Game 5, neither of them showed up, even though McDavid did manage to score in the third period. Reinhart pointed out that Florida’s win really came down to the team’s overall intensity rather than any single player shining. They really honed in on a strategy to shut down Edmonton’s best players.

The Panthers did a great job of shutting down the McDavid–Draisaitl duo, keeping them to just a handful of shots and making it tough for them on the power play. Florida really turned up the pressure on Edmonton with their puck support and aggressive forecheck, putting the home team in some tough situations. If we see this happen again in Game 6, it seems like the defending champions could be on their way to reclaiming the Stanley Cup.