There’s a storm brewing in Edmonton. With the Stanley Cup Finals tied 2-2, Game 5 will surely be a massive opportunity for both the Florida Panthers and the Oilers to capitalize on the moment. However, it seems like the Cats have had it with leaving things to fate. Instead, the defending Cup champs are doing everything they can to make sure that things go their way.

“I think Marchy grabbed a Blizzard,” joked Sam Bennett after Brad Marchand helped the Florida Panthers nab a nail-biting 5-4 OT win in Game 2. With all the attention around the Canadian winger’s favorite frozen snack in recent weeks, could that be the pre-game ritual that Paul Maurice’s boys need to get them back in their winning ways? The 2024 Cup winners certainly seem to think so!

A post by B/R Open Ice on X from June 14 shared a snap from the Cats’ crucial pit stop from before today’s high-stakes match in the Canadian city. Captioned, “Looks like the Panthers went back to Dairy Queen before Game 5 in Edmonton,” the post shows several of the Panthers’ stars getting themselves some dessert, as they pose for the camera with a young fan.

B/R Open Ice’s social media update shared a screenshot of an Instagram post of a Panthers fan-run account. The OG post read, “Random walks in the rain leads into meeting the FloridaPanthers @Dairy Queen in Edmonton AB,” as the snap shows a group of Florida Panthers players evidently living in the moment as they grabbed their favorite pre-game snack as a way to pull a quick one over the Game 5 hosts.

Truth be told, there’s a lot hanging on today’s game. Three of the first four matches in this year’s Finals have been decided in the OT. Needless to say, this would go down as only of the most intensely contested Stanley Cup Final series ever played. For today, you’d suspect that the Edmonton Oilers will have the advantage, especially with Game 5 being held in their own backyard. And things don’t end just there, unfortunately for the Florida Panthers.

The Oilers have a sturdy 12-5 record in situations when a best-of-7 series is tied 2-2, along with posting a rather intimidating 5-1 record when starting at home. Feel the blues yet, Florida Oanthers fans? You should, especially when you remember that Edmonton came back from 3-0 after the first period in Game 4 to ultimately run away with another OT victory, thanks to Leon Draisaitl’s historic (the German is now the first player in history to score 4 OT goals in a single postseason) clutch moment. But hold up.

Never, ever, do you discount Brad Marchand from the equation. After all, he was the one who quite possibly found out how the “Blizzard” is never shy to bestow its blessings on the Florida Panthers camp. And he might have laced up with Dairy Queen’s hand on his head once again for today’s match.

Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers’ rescue?

The 37-year-old winger has been on a roll ever since he came to Florida in March. Transferring to Miami after 16 long seasons might not have been the way Marchand had hoped to see his hockey career panning out, but he has adjusted to the Panthers’ way of playing in a heck of a way in such a short period. With 20 postseason points (Brad posted a goal and an assist already in game 5), the ex-Bruins captain has been setting new records left and right as he lends his skills to his new teammates.

Maybe part of his incredible talent comes from the fact that Marchand is never too shy to help himself with a delectable snack even in between games when the Cats are putting everything on the ice in a bid to win games. With GM Bill Zito’s support on his back, the seasoned hockey star was quite possibly the one who made it clear to the Florida Panthers that a Blizzard on game day keeps the opposition at bay.

At the time of writing, the Panthers are up 2-0, with Sam Bennett’s goal backing up Marchand’s efforts. But if we’ve learned anything from the postseason this year, it is that the Oilers have mastered the art of comeback wins. But will that repeat by the end of today’s game? Who do you think will have the last laugh in Game 5? Tell us!