The Panthers’ push onto home ice with the Stanley Cup in the building came early and often in Game 5, continuing an early power play with five minutes to go after Brett Kulak was called for high sticking. The Oilers had a dynamic short-handed duo of Matthijs Janmark and Connor Brown guarding the top of the zone, and pressure coming from the Swede against the wall forced the Panthers to foul on a D-to-D pass.
When the ball appeared, Brown got a piece of it to send the ball wide of the area to start a foot race against Aleksander Barkov that the winger won, creating a breakaway that the 30-year-old slid around the outstretched right board. To Sergei Bobrovsky for the opening goal and Edmonton’s second SHG of the series at 14:30 of the frame.
This was the second straight game in which the Oilers opened the scoring with a shortstop, making them the first team since the ’91 Pittsburgh Penguins to record a SHG in consecutive games in a Cup Final. With his second postseason goal and first career postseason shortstop, Brown now has three shortstops in these playoffs (1G, 2A).
“I always knew how good he was, and I think everyone sees that,” said Hyman, a former teammate of Brown’s in the Maple Leafs organization.
“I think all Oilers fans see that. He was one of our best players. He was very impactful in all aspects that he played. He was unbelievable on the PK, unbelievable in the five-on-five game, so I think you’re just starting to see a glimpse of him.” The type of player he is and I’ve seen that for a long time, it’s amazing that he’s able to show that at the highest level.
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