Panthers move to the verge of 2nd straight Stanley Cup title by beating the Oilers 5-2 in Game 5

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Brad Marchand is making more highlights for his new team, Sam Bennett is piling up the goals again and the Florida Panthers are on the verge of hoisting the Stanley Cup for the second year in a row.

Marchand scored twice, Bennett had his playoff-leading 15th goal and the Panthers beat the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 in Game 5 of the final on Saturday night to take a 3-2 series lead.

The Panthers improved to 10-3 on the road during this run, matching the NHL record for victories away from home in a single playoffs. They can hoist the Cup again as soon as Tuesday night if they win Game 6 on home ice in Sunrise.

“It was very solid game, definitely," goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky said. "But the series continues and we are excited about the next game. It’s going to be a big game.”

Florida this time built a multigoal lead and built on it, unlike a couple of previous games in the final. Bobrovsky stopped 19 of the 21 shots he faced, making some important saves when needed, and was aided by lockdown defense that took ice away from the Oilers.

Marchand, Bennett and Sam Reinhart provided the offense. Marchand joined Mario Lemieux as the only players in the past half-century to score five-plus goals in a final multiple times, and his 13 career goals in the final are the most among active players.

“I’m just enjoying every moment,” said Marchand, who is in his fourth final and third since winning the Cup with Boston in 2011. "It’s such a special group of guys, and I’m having so much fun here right now. I honestly feel like a young guy in the league again, just excited to be part of the group.”

Connor McDavid scored his first goal of the series after the Oilers fell behind 3-0. Reinhart's came 46 seconds later to restore the Panthers' three-goal lead, and by the time Corey Perry scored with 3:13 left, it was too late.

Eetu Luostarinen sealed it with an empty-netter with 1:19 left, silencing the once fired-up crowd for a final time.

“We just got to play our game earlier,” Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse said. “We can all agree in our room that we can be better.”

Edmonton's power play went 0 for 3, a product of the Panthers' aggressive penalty kill knocking McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the rest of the top unit out of their usual rhythm.

Calvin Pickard lost for the first time in eight starts this spring, allowing four goals on 18 shots. He got the nod over Stuart Skinner after entering in relief and winning Game 4 to improve to 7-0, a record that is now 7-1.

Skinner could be back in for Game 6, with the Panthers aiming to close things out following another cross-continental trip back to the other corner of North America. They are in this spot after bouncing back from blowing a three-goal lead and falling in overtime in Game 4, taking advantage of their depth to send the Oilers to the brink again.

“We’ve been pretty good at bouncing back all playoffs,” Marchand said. “We learned a pretty good lesson there last game, and thought we did a much better job in this one.”

AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Florida Panthers' Brad Marchand (63) scores against Edmonton Oilers goalie Calvin Pickard (30) as OIlers' Corey Perry (90) defends and Oilers' Jake Walman, second from left, watches during the third period in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Florida Panthers center Eetu Luostarinen (27) trips over Edmonton Oilers goalie Calvin Pickard (30) during the first period in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Florida Panthers' A.J. Greer (10) and Sergei Bobrovsky (72) celebrate after their win over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, June 14, 2025. ( Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Florida Panthers' Anton Lundell (15) and Brad Marchand (63) celebrate after a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the third period in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, June 14, 2025. ( Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Florida Panthers centerBrad Marchand (63) celebrates with teammates after his goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the first period in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Florida Panthers' Brad Marchand (63) scores against Edmonton Oilers goalie Calvin Pickard (30) during the first period in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Florida Panthers players, left, celebrate after a goal as Edmonton Oilers' goalie Calvin Pickard (30) looks on during the first period in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Florida Panthers' Sam Bennett (9) celebrates after a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the first period in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Florida Panthers' Sam Bennett (9) celebrates after his goal with teammates, from back left to right, Evan Rodrigues, Nate Schmidt and Matthew Tkachuk as Edmonton Oilers goalie Calvin Pickard, foreground, looks on during the first period in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final in Edmonton, Alberta, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Calvin Pickard (30) grabs a shot on goal during the second period of Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers, Thursday, June 12, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Florida Panthers right wing Mackie Samoskevich (25) defends Florida Panthers center Evan Rodrigues (17) as goaltender Calvin Pickard (30) deflects a shot on goal during the third period of Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final Friday, June 13, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Protests sweeping across Iran neared the two-week mark Saturday, with the country’s government acknowledging the ongoing demonstrations despite an intensifying crackdown and as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world.

With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. But the death toll in the protests has grown to at least 72 people killed and over 2,300 others detained, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency. Iranian state TV is reporting on security force casualties while portraying control over the nation.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has signaled a coming clampdown, despite U.S. warnings. Tehran escalated its threats Saturday, with the Iran’s attorney general, Mohammad Movahedi Azad, warning that anyone taking part in protests will be considered an “enemy of God,” a death-penalty charge. The statement carried by Iranian state television said even those who “helped rioters” would face the charge.

“Prosecutors must carefully and without delay, by issuing indictments, prepare the grounds for the trial and decisive confrontation with those who, by betraying the nation and creating insecurity, seek foreign domination over the country,” the statement read. “Proceedings must be conducted without leniency, compassion or indulgence.”

U.S. President Donald Trump offered support for the protesters, saying on social media that “Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!”

The State Department separately warned: “Do not play games with President Trump. When he says he’ll do something, he means it.”

Saturday marks the start of the work week in Iran, but many schools and universities reportedly held online classes, Iranian state TV reported. Internal Iranian government websites are believed to be functioning.

State TV repeatedly played a driving, martial orchestral arrangement from the “Epic of Khorramshahr” by Iranian composer Majid Entezami, while showing pro-government demonstrations. The song, aired repeatedly during the 12-day war launched by Israel, honors Iran's 1982 liberation of the city of Khorramshahr during the Iran-Iraq war. It has been used in videos of protesting women cutting away their hair to protest the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini as well.

It also repeatedly aired video of purported protesters shooting at security forces with firearms.

“Field reports indicate that peace prevailed in most cities of the country at night,” a state TV anchor reported Saturday morning. “After a number of armed terrorists attacked public places and set fire to people’s private property last night, there was no news of any gathering or chaos in Tehran and most provinces last night.”

That was directly contradicted by an online video verified by The Associated Press that showed demonstrations in northern Tehran's Saadat Abad area, with what appeared to be thousands on the street.

“Death to Khamenei!” a man chanted.

The semiofficial Fars news agency, believed to be close to Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and one of the few media outlets able to publish to the outside world, released surveillance camera footage of what it said came from demonstrations in Isfahan. In it, a protester appeared to fire a long gun, while others set fires and threw gasoline bombs at what appeared to be a government compound.

The Young Journalists' Club, associated with state TV, reported that protesters killed three members of the Guard’s all-volunteer Basij force in the city of Gachsaran. It also reported a security official was stabbed to death in Hamadan province, a police officer killed in the port city of Bandar Abbas and another in Gilan, as well as one person slain in Mashhad.

The semiofficial Tasnim news agency, also close to the Guard, claimed authorities detained nearly 200 people belonging to what it described as “operational terrorist teams.” It alleged those arrested had weapons including firearms, grenades and gasoline bombs.

State television also aired footage of a funeral service attended by hundreds in Qom, a Shiite seminary city just south of Tehran.

Iran’s theocracy cut off the nation from the internet and international telephone calls on Thursday, though it allowed some state-owned and semiofficial media to publish. Qatar's state-funded Al Jazeera news network reported live from Iran, but they appeared to be the only major foreign outlet able to work.

Iran's exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, who called for protests Thursday and Friday, asked in his latest message for demonstrators to take to the streets Saturday and Sunday. He urged protesters to carry Iran's old lion-and-sun flag and other national symbols used during the time of the shah to “claim public spaces as your own.”

Pahlavi's support of and from Israel has drawn criticism in the past — particularly after the 12-day war. Demonstrators have shouted in support of the shah in some protests, but it isn’t clear whether that’s support for Pahlavi himself or a desire to return to a time before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Online video purported to show protests ongoing Saturday night as well.

The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the country's economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Iran's theocracy.

Airlines have canceled some flights into Iran over the demonstrations. Austrian Airlines said Saturday it had decided to suspend its flights to Iran “as a precautionary measure” through Monday. Turkish Airlines earlier announced the cancellation of 17 flights to three cities in Iran.

Meanwhile, concern is growing that the internet shutdown will allow Iran's security forces to go on a bloody crackdown, as they have in other rounds of demonstrations. Ali Rahmani, the son of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi who is imprisoned in Iran, noted that security forces killed hundreds in a 2019 protest “so we can only fear the worst.”

“They are fighting, and losing their lives, against a dictatorial regime,” Rahmani said.

Associated Press writers Oleg Cetinic in Paris and Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin contributed to this report.

In this frame grab from video obtained by the AP outside Iran, a masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, January. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from video taken by an individual not employed by The Associated Press and obtained by the AP outside Iran shows a fire as people protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)

In this frame grab from video taken by an individual not employed by The Associated Press and obtained by the AP outside Iran shows people during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)

This frame grab from a video released Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, by Iranian state television shows a man holding a device to document burning vehicles during a night of mass protests in Zanjan, Iran. (Iranian state TV via AP)