McDavid and the Oilers drag Panthers back to Edmonton for a Stanley Cup Final Game 6

Connor McDavid wanted the Edmonton Oilers to drag the Florida Panthers back to Alberta, then he made sure that happened.

McDavid scored twice, including the empty-netter to seal it, and set up two goals to keep the Stanley Cup Final going with a 5-3 victory in Game 5 Tuesday night — avoiding elimination and sending the series all the way back across North America. Game 6 is Friday in Edmonton.

“Drag them back to Alberta” became the Oilers' rallying cry, started by McDavid after he led the way in avoiding a sweep and echoed by Connor Brown hours before puck drop in Sunrise. The other Connor scored short-handed five minutes in after Stuart Skinner made several big-time saves on the first few shifts as the Panthers opened with a strong push in their second chance to hoist the Cup.

That will have to wait thanks to the Edmonton power play that was 0 for the series at 5 on 4 building the lead with goals by Zach Hyman and Corey Perry, each one assisted on by McDavid. Hyman's goal was his NHL postseason-leading 15th.