When somebody asked Brad Marchand before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals how he’s feeling with all those plastic rats sailing onto the ice now that he’s a real-life member of their Florida Panthers’ rodent fraternity, he rolled his eyes.

“Man, they’re bullying me,” said hockey’s top vermin.

Actually Marchand can handle himself just fine. He’s gnawed his way into the hearts of the Stanley Cup champions day by day, and on Friday. He took a large bite out of the Edmonton Oilers hopes of going up 2-0, soring his second-ever finals shorthanded on a breakaway on Stu Skinner in the second period—exactly 14 years to the day he had his first one when he was with Boston against the Canucks. And he got the 5-4 second overtime winner, also on a breakaway, on his seventh shot of the game, to end the

See Full Page