Stanley Cup Final Game 5 live blog: Oilers vs. Panthers

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Welcome to Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final. The Florida Panthers tried for the second time to win the Stanley Cup, but the Edmonton Oilers got their second straight win to stay alive and make it 3-2 in the best-of-7 series. NHL.com Editor-in-Chief Bill Price was inside Amerant Bank Arena to provide all the sights, sounds and highlights of the Oilers' 5-3 win.

10:55 p.m. ET

The Oilers and Panthers go back to Alberta. We all do.

A Game 6 that seemed improbable just a few days ago will now take place Friday at what will be an insane Rogers Place in Edmonton thanks to the Oilers’ wild 5-3 win here at Amerant Bank Arena.

I have to say I’m stunned the Oilers won in this building tonight, a building that was primed for a Cup party.

Now the Cup, the players, the media and the coaches all will head to Alberta, and there is some real drama in this Final.

I will be there. Hope you can make it.

Thanks again for reading.

10:44 p.m. ET

The “Let’s Go Panthers” chants continue here

We are down to three minutes to go, and it’s still a one-goal game.

The Panthers just killed off another penalty to keep this at 4-3 and give them a chance to tie it late.

The Oilers went to the power play with 7:32 left when Dmitry Kulikov tripped Warren Foegele.

You could cut the tension with a knife if you were allowed to bring knives into the arena.

The Panthers are pressuring, but Stuart Skinner has been a wall in net.

10:36 p.m. ET

There is 9:57 left in what is turning into an absolute classic. The Oilers had a 4-1 lead after Corey Perry scored at 11:54 of the second period, but the Panthers have scored twice and trail 4-3 in a wild and wooly third period.

We all know what’s at stake here. The Oilers win, and it’s back to Edmonton for Game 6. The Panthers win, and the Cup will reside in South Florida.

The Panthers are turning up the heat but also seem to be getting frustrated as time winds down.

They are outshooting the Oilers 28-22 to this point.

They just did the 50/50 here. Not sure the prize reached the $14 million mark like it did in Edmonton in Game 4.

The DJ just played “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi -- he’s from New Jersey, you know. And that is what the Oilers are doing here. You know, it just occurred to me, that song might be a good theme song for NJ Transit commuters.

10:29 p.m. ET

It appeared as if the Panthers were going to the power play, but Matthew Tkachuk was whistled for embellishment, so it’s 4-on-4.

I don’t think the fans realized it yet because there was a stoppage on the ice. But they will once they teams come out and it’s 4-on-4, with Dylan Hollowaycalled for hooking Tkachuk.

While we have a few minutes, my Willie Mays story:

Willie and I each entered Shea Stadium as members of the Mets family on the same day -- Mother’s Day, 1972. Mays had been traded to the Mets a few days before that, and the Price family had a big trip to Shea planned for my mom (aren’t we great sons?). I was 5 years old at the time, and I was on my first trip to Shea, a place I would go to countless times in my life.

Well, Willie didn’t just play in his Mets debut, he homered. Something I will never forget.

Anyway, RIP to the great Willie Mays. One of the greatest players in MLB history, if not the greatest.

10:24 p.m. ET

Well, well, well. We have a one-goal game with Matthew Tkachuk feeding Oliver Ekman-Larsson for a one-time blast over the glove of Stuart Skinner.

NHL.com senior writer Dan Rosen said the Panthers had to score in the first five minutes of the period to have a chance, and well, they scored with 15:56 left in the third.

Now it’s 4-3 and this place is going bonkers. Can the Oilers hold on? Can the Panthers get another goal? Are we are going back to Alberta? Why am I asking you?

10:14 p.m. ET

The third period is minutes away, and there is a real nervous, I might even say anxious, energy in this building.

It’s bad enough that the Panthers are one period away from losing their second straight, but what makes it worse is that Connor McDavid is absolutely feeling it and his teammates are feeling it, too.

I can’t even imagine the scene in Edmonton on Friday if the Oilers drag everyone back to Alberta for Game 6.

That being said, I expect the Panthers to throw everything they have at the Oilers in the final 20 minutes in an attempt to win this game and the Stanley Cup.

9:58 p.m. ET

We have 40 minutes in the books, at least 20 minutes to play, and the Cup is in the building, but the planes to Alberta are starting to think about revving their engines.

It’s starting to feel as if the final 20 minutes of the game are going to be similar to the third period of Game 6 of the Western Conference Final, when the Dallas Stars absolutely peppered Stuart Skinner but couldn’t score.

Not sure what will happen here, but the fans are certainly not as loud as they were when this game began.

It’s 4-2 Oilers after two. What should be a wild third period will start in about 18 minutes.

9:55 p.m. ET

The Panthers failed to score on the power play again, a shot from the face-off dot by Carter Verhaeghe the best chance, but it was swallowed up by Stuart Skinner.

Still, the power play seemed to give the Panthers some life as they have gotten their game back a little bit and are now peppering Skinner. They are now outshooting Edmonton 20-19 with 2:11 left in the second, and this crowd, which was somewhat stunned after the Connor McDavid assist on Corey Perry’s goal, is completely back into this game.

This certainly feels as if the next team to score a goal will have a huge advantage. Clearly, the Oilers can go back up by three with a goal, while Florida can get it back to a one-goal game and really put the heat on the Oilers.

We have 1:39 left in the second, and it’s 4-2 Oilers in what has turned into an absolutely entertaining game.

9:49 p.m. ET

The Oilers took another penalty while on the power play, and now we are at 4-on-4 with 5:32 left in the second.

Edmonton has been in control for most of this game, but Florida, which trailed 3-0 and 4-1, is one goal from making it a one-goal game.

What has to worry Florida is that Connor McDavid, who was somewhat quiet the first three games, is looking like, well, Connor McDavid. After his amazing play to set up the goal by Corey Perry, he drew a penalty by cutting to the net at 13:45 to give the Oilers another power play, but Zach Hyman took the penalty to even things out.

9:44 p.m. ET

Things are getting crazy here.

Seconds after Connor McDavid dazzled the Panthers and the crowd with a gorgeous assist on a power-play goal by Corey Perry, the Panthers come right back and get back within two on a goal by Evan Rodrigues.

For the McDavid play, there is supposed to be no cheering in the press box, but he just got everyone out of their seats with an amazing assist on a goal from Perry. McDavid took the puck in his own end, weaved through three Panthers penalty killers, and fed Perry to make it a 4-1.

Just an unreal play.

But give the Panthers credit, they come right back to slow any momentum.

9:37 p.m. ET

The Oilers area heading to the power with Kyle Okposo going off for hooking at 10:02 of the second period.

Before the penalty, the Panthers looked like a different team after the Tkachuk goal. They nearly scored a few minutes later on another play by Tkachuk, who cut into the zone and fed Oliver Ekman-Larsson for a one-timer that Stuart Skinner was able to turn away.

But Tkachuk, as he usually does, has energized his team and this arena, each of which needed a spark.

Now they need a huge penalty kill to stay within two goals.

9:31 p.m. ET

The Panthers needed a little life, and they just got it, with Matthew Tkachuk getting the puck in the slot from Evan Rodrigues and beating Stuart Skinner at 5:55 of the second. And just like that it’s 3-1 and this place is rocking again.

The Panthers do what they do best and win a board battle, and get the puck to Tkachuk who scores. Huge goal. The place was feeling a bit dead, and now the “Let’s Go Panthers” chants have started in full throat.

9:25 p.m. ET

And now it’s 3-0 Oilers, with Connor McDavid beating Sergei Bobrovsky through the wickets with exactly 15:00 left in the second period. The Oilers have now outscored the Panthers 13-1 since the start of the third period of Game 3.

The turn of events in this game and the Final are absolutely stunning, and that’s how this place feels, stunned.

The Panthers look nothing like the team that controlled the Rangers in the ECF and really controlled most of the play in the first three games. And what’s even worse for Florida is that Connor McDavid is getting hot, getting comfortable and finding the back of the net.

Panthers look flat and need something to get them started, or Alberta, here we come.

9:21 p.m. ET

The party atmosphere has turned somber with Zach Hyman scoring on the power play at 1:58 of the second to make it 2-0 Edmonton.

I actually missed the goal because I was down on the club level saying hello to one of my high school English teachers. Very cool to see her. She’s a huge Panthers fan, but not happy right now.

While in the elevator back up to the press box, my son texted me to tell me Willie Mays had died. More on him later, but right now it’s 2-0 Oilers early in the second period.

9 p.m. ET

The first period is in the books here, and that Connor guy on the Oilers -- the other Connor guy -- has the only goal, a short-handed one at that 5:30 into game.

It’s certainly not the start the Panthers and their fans envisioned when they came to the arena tonight. They expected to party, and so far the Oilers are ruining the atmosphere.

Though Edmonton is known to be a high-scoring team, Florida has now scored just one goal in the past 104:29 of this Final. Crazy stuff. The Oilers outshot the Panthers 10-6 and lead 1-0.

And now the Oilers will start the second period on the power play with Niko Mikkola taking an interference call at the buzzer.

8:51 p.m. ET

They just played “Monkey Wrench” by Foo Fighters, and that is what the Oilers are becoming to the Panthers’ Stanley Cup party. Yes, it’s early, but the one thing Edmonton had to avoid was Florida getting off to a fast start, and so far it has done that, leading 1-0 on a shorty by Connor Brown.

Sam Reinhart just came up with a huge block, getting in front of a one-timer from Mattias Ekholm that was set up by a slick feed from Connor McDavid. Clearly, the Panthers don’t want to fall behind 2-0, and they need to do something to stop the Oilers’ momentum, which seems to have carried over from their 8-1 win in Game 4 on Saturday.

The Oilers just look like a different team than they did for most of the first three games; they are more confident, more focused and seem to have the Panthers on their heels a bit.

8:45 p.m. ET

The fans are getting a “Let’s Go Panthers” chant going. Granted, it’s not as loud or continuous as it was in Edmonton, but they are trying to get their team going.

Each team has struggled on the power play so far. The Panthers are 0-for-2 and gave up a short-handed goal, and the Oilers are 0-for-1, taking an offensive-zone penalty one minute into it.

My kids, who are bitter fans of the New York Rangers, are texting me during this game, wondering why all the Panthers players who played like superstars in the Eastern Conference Final are struggling tonight. I don’t know what to tell them.

Anway, we have 6:31 left in the first period, it’s 1-0 Oilers, and this place is feels a bit nervous.

8:40 p.m. ET

As the great Doc Emrick would say, this game is developing a snarl.

The Panthers are getting feisty, and why not, the Oilers are trying to keep them from wining the Cup tonight.

Upon further review, Connor Brown’s short-handed goal actually hit the blade of Sergei Bobrovsky’s skate and went it.

If you are keeping score at home -- and I know you are -- the Oilers have now outscored the Panthers 11-1 in the past four-plus periods.

And now the Oilers are going to the power play with Aleksander Barkov taking a cross-checking penalty. Is frustration already setting in here for Florida?

Well, the Panthers get a break with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins taking a hooking penalty in the offensive zone on the power play.

8:34 p.m. ET

The Oilers have struck first with Connor Brown scoring a short-handed goal. Brown intercepted a cross ice pass from Brandon Montour to Aleksander Barkov at the blue line, then outraced Barkov to the puck, walked in, and patiently beat Sergei Bobrovsky with a backhand shot.

Even after the goal, the Oilers broke up passes on the Panthers power play, which began when Brett Kulak went off for high sticking at 4:47.

We have about 12 minutes left here, it’s 1-0 Oilers, and this place has quieted down.

8:30 p.m. ET

Though it’s certainly festive in here, this is an edge to the crowd we didn’t feel for Games 1 and 2 here. There is a ton at stake here tonight.

Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner is getting peppered early here, and he just made a huge glove save to rob Aaron Ekblad from the slot. The Panthers have four shots on goal in the first 4:19 of the game, and they have all been quality shots.

Florida is putting the pressure on, with Edmonton having iced the puck twice already.

The Oilers really need to survive this early push from the Panthers, who have come out flying.

If you’re keeping score, they have played two Guns N’ Roses songs before the first minute of the game is over with “Paradise City” being played after a whistle. Then it’s “Are You Gonna Go My Way” by Lenny Kravitz. It’s like '90s night here.

8:20 p.m. ET

What an emotional pregame here today.

After team TV guy Steve “Goldie” Goldstein got the fans fired up with a message on the video board, the lights went down, the fans got loud, and the show began.

First, they cranked “Welcome To The Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses.

Then, the PA announcer told the crowd, “It’s time to finish this at home,” and reminded everyone that Lord Stanley is in the building.

Finally, a message: “Let’s Get This Done.”

After that, they showed a pretty cool video where they put up a photo of each player with his nickname. From Matthew Tkachuk (Chucky) to Carter Verhaeghe (Swaggy) to Aleksander Barkov (Barky), the nicknames are pretty fun.

Golf legend Jack Nicklaus -- or Nicky as he’s now known -- hit the drum to get the fans fired up. When I first heard who it was, I thought I heard someone say Jack Nicholson, but I figured he’s a Los Angeles Kings fan, or a New Jersey Devils fan, since he’s from New Jersey.

In any event, the anthems are over, the starters have been announced, the decibel level is going through the roof, and the puck has been dropped.

Will the Cup be handed out tonight, or will the Cup and everyone else be, as Connor McDavid said, “dragged back to Alberta?” We will find out soon enough.

8 p.m. ET

We are about 18 minutes from puck drop.

It will be really interesting to see how this game starts. While it’s great the Panthers are at home and have the crowd behind them, there is certainly a lot of pressure for them to wrap this up tonight to avoid: A. giving the Oilers any more life; B. making the hike to Alberta; and C. becoming even closer to blowing a 3-0 lead.

I was at the Oilers practice yesterday, and they seemed pretty loose, a lot looser than they had before Game 3 in Edmonton. I missed both morning skates today as I’m battling a nasty cold. Maybe going from 50-degree temps in Edmonton to 95-degree temps in Florida is not a great idea.

Had this been a regular-season game, I may have taken a night off from the blog, but this is the Cup Final. Gotta play hurt.

7:45 p.m. ET

The players are on the ice, and it looks like Evander Kane will not play again for the Oilers.

This will be the third straight game he has missed.

Like I said earlier, there is a party atmosphere in the arena tonight with fans expecting to see their Panthers raise the Stanley Cup when it’s said and done.

But hold on. The Oilers are 3-0 this postseason when facing elimination, including their 8-1 win in Game 4 on Saturday.

If the Oilers can win tonight, they would be the fourth team (of 29) to force a Game 6 in a Cup Final after falling behind 3-0. The other teams to do it: the 2012 New Jersey Devils (vs. the Los Angeles Kings); the 1945 Detroit Red Wings (vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs) and the 1942 Maple Leafs Leafs (vs. the Red Wings). By the way, Oilers forward Adam Henrique was on that Devils team, so there’s that.

One more stat in the Oilers favor: In Games 4-7 this postseason, Stuart Skinner is 8-0 with a 1.38 GAA and .944 save percentage.

As for the Panthers, they are 4-1 after a loss this postseason. Aleksander Barkov has 11 points in those five games. Barkov could become the first Finland-born captain in NHL history to hoist the Stanley Cup.

Ok, instant poll here. They have Hershey miniatures in the press box, and I’m wondering: Krackel or Mr. Goodbar?

7:15 p.m. ET

They are ready to party here in Florida. And why not. The Stanley Cup will be inside Amerant Bank Arena ready to be handed out if the Panthers can win Game 5. The last time the Cup was handed out in South Florida was June 10, 1996, when the Colorado Avalanche swept the Panthers in the Final, with Game 4 being played in Miami Arena.

While we were pulling into the parking lot around 6:30, we saw a confetti truck in the parking lot. Hmmm.

Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk seems to think it will happen tonight. Earlier today he said this: “We have a chance to capture the biggest goal of our lifetime, so we're gonna go do that."

But Oilers forward Connor McDavid, again, said the goal is for the Oilers to win the game and make the Panthers and everyone else covering this Final get back on a plane and fly 2,583 miles to Edmonton for Game 6 on Friday.

We’ll see over the next few hours if that happens.

There is some lineup news, with Ryan Lomberg getting back in for the Panthers after being a healthy scratch the past seven games.

We will see during warmups if forward Evander Kane will be back in for Edmonton. He’s missed the past two games.

Warmups start in about 15 minutes. We will check back then.