The Florida Panthers have consistently found the back of the net this postseason, scoring five or more goals in 11 separate games. This pattern continued in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, where they delivered a resounding 6-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. In contrast, allowing more than five goals in a playoff game has been rare for the Oilers; the last time it happened before Game 2 of this series was in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. With this win, the Panthers now lead the series 2-1 and are just two victories away from hoisting the Stanley Cup. We examine the outcome of Game 3, highlight players to keep an eye on, and identify the key questions facing each team heading into Game 4.
Florida Panthers
Grade: A+
Florida comprehensively outplayed Edmonton in every aspect of the game. They were more tenacious, outmatched the Oilers both at even strength and on special teams, and applied a relentless forecheck. The Panthers consistently won puck battles along the boards and, crucially, effectively neutralized Edmonton’s star players and overall offense. A standout performance from goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who significantly outshone Stuart Skinner at the other end, was instrumental in this containment.
Florida established control early, with Sam Reinhart scoring less than a minute into the game. They also capitalized on their power play, with Carter Verhaeghe finding the net on their fourth opportunity of the first period. Sam Reinhart`s quick response to Corey Perry`s goal early in the second period, followed by Sam Bennett`s breakaway goal, further solidified Florida`s focused and determined play. Entering the third period with a commanding 4-1 lead, and knowing their impressive 30-1 record under Paul Maurice when leading after two periods in the postseason, the Panthers were poised for victory. This allowed them not only to chase Skinner from the net but also to comfortably cruise to a dominant win.
Edmonton Oilers
Grade: D
Edmonton struggled with another poor first period, conceding two goals – a recurring issue throughout this series marked by slow starts. They had difficulty maintaining possession and were plagued by turnovers that directly led to goals against. Aside from Corey Perry`s goal, set up by Evan Bouchard, the Oilers` depth players failed to make a significant impact, while Florida saw contributions from six different goal scorers.
The Oilers also lost their composure, accumulating 85 penalty minutes, the most by a team in a Cup Final game since 1986.
What began as a series where either team could have taken a 2-0 lead turned into a Game 3 where Edmonton faltered in numerous areas. While they have shown an ability to mount comebacks this postseason, trailing by three goals entering the third period of a Cup Final game presented a nearly insurmountable challenge. The last team to overcome a three-goal third-period deficit in the Cup Final was the Montreal Canadiens against the Chicago Blackhawks in 1944. After allowing a power-play goal early in the third, Stuart Skinner was replaced in net by Calvin Pickard.
These combined struggles resulted in the Oilers` weakest performance of the Cup Final, arguably their poorest showing since the opening round against the Los Angeles Kings.
Three Stars of Game 3
1. Sam Reinhart, F, Panthers
Reinhart registered his first two points of the Cup Final with a goal and an assist, making a timely contribution. Teams winning Game 3 in a tied 1-1 series historically win the Stanley Cup approximately 76% of the time.
2. Paul Maurice
The Panthers coach earned his 1,000th NHL victory. He made all the right tactical decisions to guide his team to a decisive 6-1 win.
3. The Penalty Box
It saw frequent use in Game 3. The two teams combined for 140 total penalty minutes, which is the fourth most in Cup Final history. The record is 176 minutes, set by the Calgary Flames and Montreal Canadiens in 1986.
Players to Watch in Game 4
Aleksander Barkov, C, Panthers
It`s time for the Panthers` captain to make his presence felt on the scoresheet in the Cup Final. While teammates like Sam Bennett and Evan Rodrigues (Correction: Original text says Brad Marchand, which is incorrect based on Game 3 events; Rodrigues scored twice) have found success, Barkov has yet to record a point and has only six shots on goal in the series.
Certainly, Barkov has been logging heavy minutes and tasked with the difficult assignment of containing the Oilers` top line. However, given his significant ice time, his lack of offensive production thus far is puzzling. Barkov was one of Florida`s most consistent forwards through the first three playoff rounds, tallying six goals and 11 points. Something simply hasn`t clicked for him yet in the Final, where he has appeared slightly off his usual pace.
This trend is unlikely to continue. Barkov is too talented not to become a key factor for Florida. If he starts producing offensively, it could spell serious trouble for Edmonton. Considering how effectively the Panthers` offense performed in Game 3 even without contributions from Barkov, his potential surge could be Edmonton`s worst nightmare.
Stuart Skinner, G, Oilers
Goaltenders are always under intense scrutiny, particularly in the postseason. It`s a position where mistakes are publicly highlighted by a red light, a loud horn, and thousands of cheering fans. Monday marked the fourth time in these playoffs that Skinner has allowed more than five goals. The second instance led to the Oilers replacing him with Calvin Pickard in the first round, and Pickard relieved him again in Game 3, stopping seven of eight shots in just over 16 minutes of play. The most recent time Skinner allowed more than five goals before this series was followed by the Oilers rallying to win four straight games and reach the Stanley Cup Final.
However, how much of Game 3`s outcome can be attributed solely to Skinner? The Oilers committed 11 giveaways, gave the Panthers seven power-play opportunities, and once again allowed two unanswered goals within a period. This raises the question: was Skinner the primary issue, or was he let down by the team`s defensive breakdowns in front of him?
Big Questions for Game 4
Can Florida maintain its shutdown defense against McDavid and Draisaitl?
Florida did an excellent job neutralizing Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl at even strength and on the power play. This containment held even after Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch was compelled to unite them on a line midway through the second period in an attempt to spark their offense. The move was ineffective, doing little to improve things for either player.
Draisaitl had zero shot attempts early in the third period, while McDavid had just two. Although Bobrovsky appeared particularly impenetrable, it was difficult for either of Edmonton`s stars to generate many quality scoring chances against him anyway. By the end of the third period, Knoblauch might have considered simply not putting McDavid or Draisaitl over the boards at all, given the Oilers` collapse.
Regardless, Florida needs to bottle whatever worked in Game 3 and replicate it for Game 4. While the Oilers were able to make Barkov uncomfortable when dictating matchups earlier in the series, on Florida`s home ice, the Panthers responded by effectively neutralizing Edmonton`s two elite scorers. If the Panthers can repeat that defensive performance on Thursday, there`s a strong possibility they can establish a stranglehold on the series before it shifts back to Edmonton for Game 5.
Can the Oilers resolve their recent defensive structure problems?
Brad Marchand`s breakaway goal in Game 2 put the Panthers on the board, and his second breakaway goal in double overtime tied the series. This doesn`t even include Sam Reinhart`s breakaway opportunity that could have ended Game 2 in the first overtime.
Allowing three goals by the halfway point of Game 3 already raised questions about the state of the Oilers` defensive scheme. But the Panthers taking a 4-1 lead in the second period via Sam Bennett`s breakaway highlighted another area of concern regarding the Oilers` defensive structure.
There have been instances in this series where the Panthers have held a shot share exceeding 65%. As noted previously, the Oilers have also allowed two unanswered goals within a period six times through the first nine periods of the series. Establishing defensive consistency had been a key strength for the Oilers this postseason. However, a lack of defensive structure and consistency in this series has contributed significantly to them falling into a 2-1 deficit.
