Brad Marchand makes his feelings clear about recovering from lengthy injury layoff to excelling in Stanley Cup Finals

Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand has been open about the challenges of returning from a long injury absence and finding his stride in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Marchand scored two key goals in Game 2, including the game-winner in double overtime, to help the Panthers win 5-4 against the Edmonton Oilers on Friday night.

After the win, Marchand reflected on his arduous recovery process earlier this season.

"When you miss three, three and a half months of training, it takes a long time to get it back and start feeling again. Your timing, your hands, your power, speed, conditioning - it all takes a long time to get back,” Marchand said.

“It's just so tough when everybody's doing the same thing every day, but it's exciting to be part of this group and just having fun."

Marchand underwent surgeries over the offseason for elbow, groin and abdomen issues but returned for the season opener. However, he suffered another upper body injury in March, which sidelined him briefly again.

In the second overtime period on Friday, Marchand broke free on a breakaway, courtesy of a perfect pass from Anton Lundell. He switched to his backhand, and despite a last-ditch effort from Leon Draisaitl to stop him, Marchand maintained control and slipped the puck through Stuart Skinner’s five-hole.

When asked if he got his stick on the pivotal backhand shot, Brad Marchand jokingly replied:

"You know, to be honest, I blacked out. I don't even know."

The Oilers received goals from Evander Kane, Evan Bouchard, Corey Perry and Leon Draisaitl but kept pace with the Panthers. Sam Bennett, Seth Jones and Dmitry Kulikov also provided the goals for Florida.

Skinner made 38 saves in a losing effort, while Sergei Bobrovsky was superb with 42 stops to help even the series for Florida.

---

Brad Marchand on the Panthers' locker room mindset

When asked about the mindset in the Panthers’ locker room, Brad Marchand pointed to the team’s experience and strong leadership as key factors behind their resilience.

He believes many guys on the team have been through high-pressure moments:

"A lot of guys have been through big moments and feel comfortable in them. We have so many different leaders who can manage different situations. We definitely have that confidence that we can be resilient."

The scene now shifts to Florida, with the Stanley Cup Finals knotted at one game apiece. Game 3 takes place on Monday night at FLA Live Arena.