A familiar face: Bruins hire ex-player Marco Sturm as new head coach originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Bruins have completed their search and Marco Sturm is the franchise’s new head coach.

He is the third Bruins head coach hired by general manager Don Sweeney and the 30th head coach in franchise history. Sturm takes over for Joe Sacco, who was named interim head coach last November following the firing of Jim Montgomery.

Sturm has a lot of NHL experience — he played in 938 career games — but this will be his first head coaching gig at this level.

Sturm has previously held the position of head coach of the German men’s national hockey team and led them to a silver medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. He also was an assistant head coach for the Los Angeles Kings from 2018 to 2022. He had served as head coach of the Kings’ AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign, since the 2022-23 season.

Sturm has helped develop some of the Kings’ top young players, including forward Quinton Byfield and defenseman Brandt Clarke. Player development needs to be a huge focus for the Bruins over the next few years. The franchise has struggled in that area for a while.

“Throughout this process, our goal was to identify a coach who could uphold our strong defensive foundation while helping us evolve offensively,” Sweeney said in a statement Thursday. “We were also looking for a communicator and leader — someone who connects with players, develops young talent, and earns the respect of the room.

“Marco impressed us at every step with his preparation, clarity, and passion. His path — playing for multiple NHL teams, coaching internationally, and leading at both the AHL and NHL levels — has shaped a well-rounded coach who’s earned this opportunity. As a former Bruin, he understands what this team means to the city and our fans.

“We’re embracing a new direction with Marco behind the bench and are confident his energy, standards, and commitment to a competitive, hard-nosed brand of hockey reflect exactly what Bruins hockey should be.”

Sturm played five seasons for the Bruins from 2005-06 through 2009-10. He was the hero of the 2010 Winter Classic when he scored in overtime to beat the Philadelphia Flyers at Fenway Park. Sturm began his NHL career with the San Jose Sharks in 1997-98 and retired after spending the 2011-12 campaign with the Florida Panthers.

The Florida Panthers are going to have to come back if they want to win their second straight Stanley Cup.

Florida blew a 3-1 second period lead in Game 1 against the Edmonton Oilers, falling in overtime 4-3.

It was just 66 seconds into the game that Edmonton sent their already rabid fans into a frenzy.

Leon Draisaitl jumped on a rebound of a Kasperi Kapinen shot and fired the puck into a yawning cage, giving the Oilers an early 1-0 lead.

Midway through the period, Carter Verhaeghe picked up a loose puck toward the top of the Edmonton zone and fired a shot that deflected off Sam Bennett in front and past Stuart Skinner to tie the game at one.

The Oilers challenged the play for goalie interference, but officials ruled that Bennett, who appears to make contact with Skinner after falling to the ice, was tripped into the goaltender by defenseman Brett Kulak.

Officials confirmed the play was legal, and Florida was given a power play for the failed challenge by Edmonton.

The Cats took advantage of the man advantage as Nate Schmidt sent a perfect cross-ice pass to Brad Marchand at the side of the net. His shot sailed past a sprawling Skinner to give Florida their first lead of the series.

It didn’t take long during the second period for the Panthers to extend their lead.

Streaking through the neutral zone, Schmidt sent Bennett in along on Skinner, beating him over the blocker to put the Panthers up 3-1.

Edmonton responded quickly though, as Viktor Arvidsson fired a slapshot past a screened Sergei Bobrovsky just 1:17 later to close the gap back to one and get the fans energized again.

The Oilers tied the game 6:33 into the third period after Florida had been finding success keeping Edmonton from generating much of anything offensively.

From behind the net, McDavid found Mattias Ekholm creeping down from the point, and his shot went over a screened Bobrovsky’s glove to knot the game at three.

That’s how the score would remain through the rest of the third period, sending Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final to overtime.

Bobrovsky came up with big saves during overtime on Kasperi Kapanen, Trent Frederick and Evan Bouchard, but a power play goal by Draisaitl late in the OT session gave Edmonton the victory.

Tomas Nosek sent the puck over the glass with under two minutes to go, giving the Oilers' power play a chance, and then Florida, which had gone a perfect 4-for-4 on the penalty kill, suddenly became extremely aggressive while down a man. 

Alas, it's just one game, and as we all leaned last season, you've got to win four before you win anything. 

On to Game 2.

QUICK THOUGHTS

Bennett has six goals and nine points over his past six games.

Similarly, Matthew Tkachuk has eight points in six games. He picked up an assist on Bennett’s goal first.

Since returning from an injury for Game 7 against Toronto, Evan Rodrigues has nine points in the seven games since.

Draisaitl didn’t score a single goal during last season’s seven-game Final, but this year it barely took him a minute to light the lamp, and now he’s got two.

Schmidt logged his third multi-point outing of the playoffs with a pair of primary assists.

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Photo caption: Jun 4, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers right wing Vasily Podkolzin (92) reacts after a goal against Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) during the second period in game one of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place. (Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images)

EDMONTON – The time is now.

Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers have been denied for too long.

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. 

“The Rematch” against the Florida Panthers has a different feeling around hockey circles than the first run-through did last year. McDavid experienced complete heartbreak last postseason.

He’s not going to let it happen again.

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The Oilers have home ice advantage for the first time this postseason. It might not seem like a lot, but the Oilers have been stellar at home this playoffs.

They sport a 6-1 record at home to go along with a 56.3 percent powerplay success rate and an 83.3 percent penalty kill rate. Additionally, they have a +16 goal differential and a .917 team save percentage.

Each of the three previous teams to make it to the Stanley Cup Final the year after they lost the Cup Final ended up winning it. The last three teams were the Panthers in 2024, the 2009 Pittsburgh Penguins, and the 1984 Oilers (Wayne Gretzky’s first cup).

#LetsGoOilers are 12-2 since starting the playoffs 0-2. Each of the last 7 teams to make the Cup Final after going 0-2 in their first series of the playoffs went on to win the Stanley Cup:

WSH - 2018
LA - 2014
BOS - 2011
CAR - 2006
DET - 2002
MTL - 1993
PIT - 1992

— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) June 4, 2025

If that wasn’t enough to convince you, maybe this last stat might. Each of the previous seven teams to make the Cup Final after losing the first two games of the playoffs has gone on to win the Cup. Those teams were: 1992 Penguins, 1993 Montreal Canadiens, 2002 Detroit Red Wings, 2006 Carolina Hurricanes, 2011 Boston Bruins, 2014 Los Angeles Kings, and the 2018 Washington Capitals.

McDavid (and the Oilers)'s time is now.

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Oilers' Leon Draisaitl scores OT winner vs. Panthers in Stanley Cup Final Game 1 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Leon Draisaitl scored on the power play in overtime, Stuart Skinner made 29 saves and the Edmonton Oilers erased a multigoal deficit to beat the defending champion Florida Panthers 4-3 in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final rematch on Wednesday night.

After Tomas Nosek’s penalty for putting the puck over the glass, Draisaitl’s goal 19:29 into OT sent the home fans into a frenzy and made sure the Oilers would not start this series like they did a year ago, when they fell behind three games to none.

For a while, it looked like they would at least start out trailing. Draisaitl’s goal 66 seconds in was followed later in the first period by Sam Bennett deflecting a shot in past Stuart Skinner after falling into him.

Edmonton’s Kris Knoblauch unsuccessfully challenged for goaltender interference, with the NHL’s situation room ruling that his own player, Jake Walman, tripped Bennett into Skinner. The resulting penalty paved the way for Florida’s Brad Marchand to score the go-ahead goal on the power play.

Bennett scoring his second of the night early in the second period put the Panthers up 3-1. They entered 31-0 over the past three playoffs since coach Paul Maurice took over when leading at the first or second intermission.

With Connor McDavid leading the way, the Oilers rallied. Fourth-liner Viktor Arvidsson brought the crowd back to life early in the second, and fellow Swede Mattias Ekholm — playing just his second game back from an extended injury absence — tied it with 13:27 remaining in regulation off a perfect pass from McDavid.

At the other end, Skinner made a handful of saves that were vital to keeping the Panthers from extending their lead or tying it late in the third. Florida counterpart Sergei Bobrovsky did the same, in between derisive chants of “Sergei! Sergei!” that followed goals he allowed.

Skinner was greeted with friendlier chants of “Stuuuu” after saves, including one in the first minute of overtime on a quality scoring chance. Bobrovsky stone-cold robbed Trent Frederic nine minutes in but eventually cracked.

Up next

Game 2 is Friday night in Edmonton before the series shifts to Sunrise, Florida for Games 3 and 4.

Oilers' Leon Draisaitl scores OT winner vs. Panthers in Stanley Cup Final Game 1 originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Leon Draisaitl scored on the power play in overtime, Stuart Skinner made 29 saves and the Edmonton Oilers erased a multigoal deficit to beat the defending champion Florida Panthers 4-3 in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final rematch on Wednesday night.

After Tomas Nosek’s penalty for putting the puck over the glass, Draisaitl’s goal 19:29 into OT sent the home fans into a frenzy and made sure the Oilers would not start this series like they did a year ago, when they fell behind three games to none.

For a while, it looked like they would at least start out trailing. Draisaitl’s goal 66 seconds in was followed later in the first period by Sam Bennett deflecting a shot in past Stuart Skinner after falling into him.

Edmonton’s Kris Knoblauch unsuccessfully challenged for goaltender interference, with the NHL’s situation room ruling that his own player, Jake Walman, tripped Bennett into Skinner. The resulting penalty paved the way for Florida’s Brad Marchand to score the go-ahead goal on the power play.

Bennett scoring his second of the night early in the second period put the Panthers up 3-1. They entered 31-0 over the past three playoffs since coach Paul Maurice took over when leading at the first or second intermission.

With Connor McDavid leading the way, the Oilers rallied. Fourth-liner Viktor Arvidsson brought the crowd back to life early in the second, and fellow Swede Mattias Ekholm — playing just his second game back from an extended injury absence — tied it with 13:27 remaining in regulation off a perfect pass from McDavid.

At the other end, Skinner made a handful of saves that were vital to keeping the Panthers from extending their lead or tying it late in the third. Florida counterpart Sergei Bobrovsky did the same, in between derisive chants of “Sergei! Sergei!” that followed goals he allowed.

Skinner was greeted with friendlier chants of “Stuuuu” after saves, including one in the first minute of overtime on a quality scoring chance. Bobrovsky stone-cold robbed Trent Frederic nine minutes in but eventually cracked.

Up next

Game 2 is Friday night in Edmonton before the series shifts to Sunrise, Florida for Games 3 and 4.