The Edmonton Oilers faced a rough outing in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, falling to the Florida Panthers with a decisive 6-1 scoreline. The game featured a staggering 21 penalties for 85 penalty minutes, including a pulled goaltender, a near-line brawl, and even a mischievous water bottle squirt aimed at the Panthers’ bench. Despite the chaos, the Oilers insisted that the Panthers’ reputation as the league’s most agitating team did not get to them, even as Florida took a 2-1 lead in the series.
“No, I don’t think so. I think the game obviously got out of hand at the end there. That stuff is going to happen,” said winger Evander Kane, who registered more penalty minutes in this game alone (16) than in his previous 17 playoff games combined (14). Kane expressed his frustration about the officiating, pointing out that the Oilers felt they were penalized more heavily than the Panthers for similar infractions.
“They seem to get away with it more than we do. It’s tough to find the line. They’re doing just as much stuff as we are,” Kane observed. “There seems to be a little bit more attention on our group.”
The Panthers themselves racked up 14 penalties for 55 minutes, adding more fuel to the fire that was Game 3. After two intense games that ended in overtime and left the series tied at 1-1, Edmonton’s performance in Game 3 spiraled into the chaos that favored Florida’s gritty gameplay.
“The way we played was what Florida kind of wanted: a track meet, tons of grinding, just penalty chaos tonight,” said Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner, who had an uncharacteristically rough night. He even took a delay-of-game penalty for a puck over the glass that led directly to Florida’s fifth goal before he was pulled from the game just over three minutes into the third period.
The Panthers excel at using their opponents’ emotions against them, and for the first time in this series, Edmonton took the bait. Kane, who typically plays a gritty style, committed two penalties within the first few minutes of the game, while later slashing Florida’s Carter Verhaeghe during a particularly contentious moment.
The drama escalated as Corey Perry exchanged words with the Panthers on the ice, calling them “turtles,” while Oilers defenseman Jake Walman responded to a playful incident involving his glove being swiped by spraying a stream from his water bottle at Florida’s players. Walman explained his antics, noting it was all in good spirit, albeit under the watchful eye of cameras.
As tensions rose, Oilers center Trent Frederic attempted to engage with Florida’s Sam Bennett, leading to a near-brawl that highlighted the simmering frustrations on the ice.
“He’s been an animal this whole playoffs,” praised Panthers winger Brad Marchand, who scored the opening goal just 56 seconds into the first period, catching Edmonton off guard.
The first period was marked by penalties galore, with four for each team, yet it wasn’t until Verhaeghe found the net late in the period that the game started tilting noticeably in Florida’s favor. Edmonton’s Viktor Arvidsson was in the penalty box at the time, victim to a goalie interference call on Sergei Bobrovsky.
“We’ve got to be more disciplined than that. We know better than that,” Walman reflected post-game. “It kind of takes the flow out of it, you know?”
While Perry managed to cut the deficit early in the second period with a power-play goal, the Panthers quickly responded, with Sam Reinhart and then Bennett extending their lead again shortly afterward. Bennett’s breakaway goal marked his 14th of the playoffs.
Skinner’s evening came to an abrupt end after the Panthers extended their lead with a power-play goal from defenseman Aaron Ekblad, reflecting a night of uncharacteristic mistakes.
Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch didn’t reveal his goaltending strategy for Game 4 but noted that Skinner didn’t have much chance on many of the goals he allowed.
With a sixth goal from Evan Rodrigues late in the third period and a flurry of misconduct penalties as Edmonton tried to send a message, emotions on both sides ran high.
“Both teams are going to stick up for each other. They care for each other,” said Panthers coach Paul Maurice, showing confidence in his team’s chemistry and resilience.
Walman emphasized the emotional stakes involved, acknowledging the fight for the Stanley Cup raises tensions between both teams.
“It’s for the Stanley Cup, you know? … There’s not an inch out there. That’s a grown man’s game, it’s not for the faint of heart. Guys are putting everything on the line,” he noted.
Now, with two days to reset before Game 4 in Sunrise, the Oilers know they need to regroup and refocus. Captain Connor McDavid recognized that the Oilers strayed from their game plan during the chaos, attributing part of it to chasing the Panthers. He made it clear that they would need to find their rhythm if they hope to even the series before heading back to Edmonton.
For Edmonton to avoid falling into a deeper hole, the pressure is now on superstar forwards McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to find their scoring touch again; this was just the 13th playoff game where both failed to register a point, and they’ve historically struggled in such situations. As McDavid put it, “Obviously it wasn’t our best. Not our best at all. I don’t think our best has shown up all series long, but it’s coming.”
