Brad Marchand Digs His Dairy Queen. But During a Game?

FORT LAUDERDALE — Brad Marchand does not have an endorsement deal with Dairy Queen yet, but he is certainly working on it.

Actually, by now, perhaps he does.

Days after a couple of Carolina Hurricanes fans ran into Marchand and some of his Florida teammates outside of a Dairy Queen in Raleigh and posted a photo on social media, Marchand went on Canadian television and basically proclaimed his love for their frozen Blizzard desert.

Specifically one made with chocolate chip cookie dough.

During the second intermission of Florida’s 6-2 win over the Hurricanes in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals, Sportsnet’s cameras in the Florida locker room caught a shot of Marchand eating something off a spoon.

After scoring the final goal in that game, Marchand was interviewed by Kyle Bukauskas — the same Sportsnet reporter whose postgame interview with Paul Maurice after Game 7 of the Cup Final went viral.

Bakauskas asked if Marchand was enjoying ice cream during the intermission.

Say this for Marchand: He never misses an opportunity.

“You can’t beat it. It’s the best dessert in the world,” Marchand said, staring right into the camera. “So I better get a lifetime free supply of Dairy Queen now. Thank you.”

Down the hall, Jackie Redmond of TNT asked Evan Rodrigues about Marchand eating ice cream during intermission.

He did not seem to be buying it, although, he did say the Panthers stock Graeter’s ice cream and a number of players seem to enjoy it.

Maurice also seemed to have his doubts.

“I know he said it,” Maurice said when told what Marchand told Sportsnet.

“I’m just not sure that makes it a fact. … There are cameras everywhere. We can’t get away with anything anymore. But, that would be a good story.”

FLORIDA PANTHERS / FHN

• So, how can the Panthers be such a pain on the ice — but a pretty good bunch off of it? Maurice explains it with what will forever be known as the ‘shotgun a beer in church’ theory.
• You can’t win a best-of-7 in three. The Panthers aren’t looking ahead, even if everyone else is.
• The Panthers can wrap up the Eastern Conference finals tonight and end the Hurricanes season a few days before Hurricane Season begins.
• It doesn’t sound like Sam Reinhart is going to play tonight — Maurice left things open ended — but Niko Mikkola and AJ Greer should be good to go.
• The Charlotte Checkers open the AHL ECF on Tuesday at the Laval Rocket near Montreal.
• The Panthers got big games in from their big-time players in Game 3.
• They also showed up on Saturday with Sasha Barkov scoring twice, and Marchand getting the final of five in the third.
• The Hurricanes have to come out desperate on Monday or it’s all over. Only the Panthers aren’t breaking out the brooms just yet.
• Mikkola scored twice in Game 3, but left the game after an awkward crash into the end boards. No. 77 has become a breakout star for the Panthers in these playoffs. The Condor. Cool nickname.
• Don’t forget to subscribe to the FHN YouTube channel to watch video interviews with the Florida Panthers throughout the postseason. Sunday brought plenty of new Hall of Fame quotes from Maurice, plus good stuff from Matthew Tkachuk, Seth  Jones, Carter Verhaeghe, and Jonah Gadjovich. More today.

NHL LINKS / NATIONAL HOCKEY NOW

• Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman each scored twice, and the Edmonton Oilers have taken control of the Stars with a 2-1 lead in the WCF.
• Team USA wins Gold at the IIHF World Championships for the first time in 92 years — and honors Johnny Gaudreau.
• Stuart Skinner has bounced back from a rough start to his season.
• The Stars are staying confident despite Edmonton looking pretty, pretty good thus far.
• The Pittsburgh Penguins have hit on second-round picks in the past.
• Should the New York Islanders extend Kyle Palmieri?

2025 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL: GAME 4

CAROLINA HURRICANES @ FLORIDA PANTHERS

Panthers lead Best-of-7 Series 3-0

• When: Monday, 8 p.m. 
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
• National TV: TNT/truTV
• National Streaming: Max
• Radio: WQAM 560-AM; WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• Series Schedule (all games on TNT/tru, 8 p.m.) — Game 1: Florida 5, Carolina 2; Game 2: Florida 5, Carolina 0; Game 3: Florida 6, Carolina 2; Game 4: Monday @Florida; Game 5*: Wednesday @Carolina; Game 6*: Friday, May 30 @Florida; Game 7*: Sunday, June 1 @Carolina
• Regular Season: Panthers Won 2-1
• How They Got Here: Carolina d. New Jersey (5), Washington (5); Florida d. Tampa Bay (5), Toronto (7).
• All-Time Regular Season Series: Carolina/Hartford leads 74-49-10, 11 ties
• Postseason History: Florida 1-0 (2023 ECF in 4)