The Florida Panthers delivered a commanding performance in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday night at Amerant Bank Arena, overwhelming the Edmonton Oilers 6-1 to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. With the defending champions playing like a seasoned, disciplined team, the Oilers struggled to find their footing in a physical, penalty-filled, and emotionally charged contest.
Brad Marchand set the tone early, scoring just 56 seconds into the game and becoming the first player in Stanley Cup Final history to score an overtime winner in one game and then open the next game with a goal. At 37, he also became the oldest player to score in the first three games of a Final series. Marchand’s goal ignited the Panthers’ relentless pressure, as they capitalized on Edmonton’s discipline woes — the Oilers racked up 15 minor penalties and 85 penalty minutes overall, compared to Florida’s 55.
Florida’s power play was lethal, scoring three times on 11 opportunities. Carter Verhaeghe added a power-play goal late in the first period, followed by Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett netting early second-period goals to push the Panthers’ lead to 4-1. Bennett’s goal, a highlight-reel breakaway finish following a punishing shift of physical play, showcased his playoff dominance. With 14 goals and 20 points, Bennett leads all postseason scorers, embodying the Panthers’ blend of speed, skill, and physicality.
“He’s been an animal this whole playoffs,” said Marchand. “He’s built for this time of year — how competitive and intense he is. He blows up two guys, then leads the rush and scores a beautiful goal.” Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov echoed the sentiment: “He’s scoring goals, but he’s doing so much more — carrying the puck, making plays, defending well. He’s just unreal right now.”
The Oilers managed only one goal, a power-play tally by Corey Perry early in the second period. Edmonton’s stars, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, were held off the scoresheet, with McDavid limited to just two shots and Draisaitl failing to register a shot attempt.
The game’s physicality and tension boiled over throughout, featuring multiple scrums, fights, and an unusual incident late in the second period when Panthers forward A.J. Greer stole Oilers defenseman Jake Walman’s glove and tossed it onto the Florida bench. Walman’s fiery reaction—squirting water at Greer—added to the chaos. The intensity spilled into the third period with multiple misconducts, including from Oilers players Darnell Nurse, Evander Kane, and Mattias Ekholm.
Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad and forward Evan Rodrigues scored power-play goals in the third period to seal the blowout victory.
Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch described the third period as “an unravelling,” noting a lack of composure as the game slipped away. Oilers players also expressed frustration with officiating, feeling Florida was allowed to get away with more physical play.
Despite the loss, the Oilers remain in the series with Game 4 set for Thursday night. Forward Evander Kane acknowledged the team’s shortcomings but remained focused. “We could have lost 3-2 in triple overtime and the series would still be 2-1,” he said postgame.
“How you lose in the playoffs doesn’t matter as much as it might in the regular season. We have a shot to get a split here on Thursday, and that’s the focus at this point.”
Meanwhile, the Panthers look to continue their dominance, confident in their veteran experience and team discipline. “This is our third time,” said Matthew Tkachuk. “We know it’s a series, and we’ve got to stick up for each other but got to be smart too.”
With their relentless energy, punishing hits, and clinical power play, the Panthers have sent a clear message: they are built for this moment, and the Oilers will need to sharpen their focus fast if they want to keep their Stanley Cup hopes alive.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.