After Brad Marchand scored the successful objective in Sport 2 of the Stanley Cup final, he and Florida Panthers teammate Sam Bennett had been requested how they stored their our bodies going throughout one other lengthy and intense matchup towards the Edmonton Oilers.
“I believe (Marchand) grabbed a Blizzard … I believe it was Oreo in the present day,” Bennett quipped, referring to a viral second throughout the Japanese Convention finals when Marchand joked that he loved a chocolate chip cookie dough deal with from Dairy Queen between intervals — which was later revealed as a spoonful of honey.
“Good plug,” Marchand responded with a chuckle. “I like that.”
They had been joking, after all, however there was some extent in Friday night time’s double-overtime recreation that Marchand hung out between intervals pedaling on an train bike to remain free — as gamers from each groups shuffled their drained our bodies on and off the ice for hours.
The primary two video games of the Stanley Cup last have gone to time beyond regulation, solely the sixth time in NHL historical past that’s occurred and first since 2014. Sport 1 went on till Leon Draisaitl’s power-play objective 19:29 into the additional interval. Marchand put Sport 2 to an finish with a breakaway objective 8:07 into the second time beyond regulation.
With the collection tied 1-1, each groups will embark on a cross-continent journey from Alberta to Florida, having fun with an additional day’s relaxation between video games to recuperate after an intense begin to their championship collection. Sport 3 is Monday night time in Dawn, Fla.
“Clearly an extended recreation, a whole lot of forwards and backwards,” stated Florida defenceman Seth Jones, who led the Panthers in ice time at 34 minutes, 35 seconds on Friday.
Jones, who’s averaging a team-high 25:45 on the ice within the post-season, performed greater than half-hour in each of the primary two video games of the collection. He scored within the first interval on Friday — his fourth objective of the post-season — and assisted on Dmitry Kulikov’s objective within the second.
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“We got here right here for a break up and received it,” Jones added, “and simply going to recuperate now.”
Panthers coach Paul Maurice stated heading again to Florida with the collection tied — as a substitute of being down 0-2 — does make a minor psychological distinction, however considered one of his staff’s strengths is its tunnel-vision strategy.
“It’s mathematically important,” Maurice stated. “I’d prefer to assume that we’d be dragging right here in the present day, this morning, if we had misplaced that recreation having had the lead for thus lengthy. However I believe we’re actually good at reducing it off.
“It’s the identical morning this morning on the meal room because it was two days in the past (after the Sport 1 loss). It’s simply on to the following day. We perceive depart our days — the nice ones and the unhealthy ones — up to now and deal with the day we now have proper now.”
The Oilers are transferring ahead within the collection with an equally brief reminiscence after missed possibilities in Sport 2.
Corey Perry, whose objective with 17.8 seconds left within the third interval pressured time beyond regulation, stated the back-and-forth nature of the collection was to be anticipated from the 2 groups, however there’s no use in getting hung up on “what-ifs.”
“What’s it going to do?” Perry stated. “It’s not going to do something for you now. Get on the airplane tomorrow and get some relaxation and be prepared for Sport 3.”
Few gamers have spent extra time on the ice within the collection than Connor McDavid. The Edmonton star performed 31:12 in Sport 1, and simply over 35 minutes in Sport 2 — greater than anybody else within the recreation. That’s almost 10 minutes greater than his post-season common of 24:22.
McDavid’s affect was definitely felt on Friday. He had three assists, together with one during which he zipped by means of Florida’s penalty kill to arrange Draisaitl’s energy play objective within the first.
Draisaitl famous after the sport there’s just one participant on the earth that may make such a highlight-reel play, however burdened the significance of utilizing the 2 days off to recalibrate.
“Presently of 12 months, you’ve received to maneuver on,” he stated, “There’s not time desirous about it too lengthy. Clearly it stings proper now, however we now have to maneuver on.”
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