Panthers Take 2-1 Series Lead; Oilers Don't Show up to Stanley Cup Game 3

Zak Drapeau
1 day ago
3 min read

by Zak Drapeau 6/10/2025 FansOnlySportz

Game 3 Summary

This game got ugly. By a score of 6-1, the Panthers won Game 3 in their first game back in Florida in these Stanley Cup Finals. The Panthers' Brad Marchand would score only 56 seconds into the game and would hold a lead for the remaining 59 minutes.

The 6-1 victory marks the largest margin of victory in the Stanley Cup Finals since their opponent Oilers actually beat them by a score of 8-1 in Game 4 of last year.

Consistently scoring 2 goals in each period last night, the Panthers' lead looked in jeopardy for 1 minute and 20 seconds in the second period after Corey Perry scored long snap shot early in the 2nd period. The ensuing Panthers' goal by Sam Reinhart would effectively bury the Oilers in a grave they would not get out from.

The Panthers' 6th goal came with only 4 minutes left in the game, long after starting goalie Stuart Skinner was pulled. Skinner would save only 18 of his 23 shots against. On the opposite end, Panthers' Sergei Bobrovsky had a great game, saving 32 of the 33 shots against, including 5 or 6 key saves in the first period.

Sloppy Play

The Panthers' dominance in this game was only trumped by the Oilers' sloppiness. Giving away 11 Power Play opportunities and conceding 3 goals within them; the Oilers' undoing was from themselves.

They would also give the puck away 12 times, most of which would come around the Panthers' blue line while threatening in scoring chances.

The Oilers' turnovers and fouls were erratic and frenzied, almost as if this was a new team playing in their colors. After the first two games of the series were so disciplined and tightly-contested, the Oilers' must have gotten too much rest in their travels.

Stars of the Game

The three stars of the game were handed to Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Reinhart and Sergei Bobrovsky respectively. Verhaeghe and Reinhart would both score a goal and notch an assist in the game, making them only 2 of the Panthers' remarkable, 12 players that would score a point in the match.

The Panthers First, 3 lines would all score 4 points, the 1st line scoring 2 goals and 2 assists, the 2nd line also scoring 2 and 2, and the 3rd line scoring 1 goal and 3 assists.

Even though he was given the 3rd star, Bobrovsky's play should not be understated here. 32 out of 33 saves is a terrific stat line but when coupled with the opposing threat of the Oilers' attack and his only allowed goal coming in 1 of the Oilers' 6 power play opportunities, it becomes legend.

Game 4 Predictions

Well let's start with a more competitive game. After the first two games went deep into overtime and were potentially the greatest 2 games to start a Stanley Cup series this millennium, the Oilers' Game 3 dud is unlikely to happen again.

Perhaps the home field advantage for the Panthers' gave them all the juice they needed to blow out the Oilers. Maybe the Oilers' travels to Florida caused them to be so sloppy. Either way, this highly competitive series should resume on Thursday for Game 4.

After such a dominant victory in the first of two games at home, I will predict another high-scoring win for the Panthers in Game 4, by a score of 4-2. I believe a 3-2 scoreline entering the final minutes would cause an empty-net goal just like we almost saw in Game 1.

Lets go play some hockey, gentlemen.