The Edmonton Oilers completely lost their cool during Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final. In their visit to Amerant Bank Arena, Connor McDavid and company were dismantled by the Florida Panthers, who are now sitting on the driver’s seat. After the opening games had been decided in overtime, the third outing was a complete blowout. Though his team was clearly outplayed, Evander Kane blamed the NHL refereeing for the lopsided result.
Despite facing the Panthers in last season’s Stanley Cup Final, the Oilers might still not be fully acclimated to Florida’s climate. Game 3 served as a reminder. In Sunrise’s tropical weather, when it rains, it pours. It may not be where most people expect hockey to be played, but it’s actually where the reigning NHL champs reside.
In a game riddled with penalties—where both teams seemed allergic to playing five-on-five—the Oilers’ power play failed to make an impact. The Panthers’ penalty kill has had notable success against Edmonton’s top unit. They’d still prefer to stay out of the box, though, as Seth Jones made clear to his teammates.
The Panthers and Oilers combined for 140 penalty minutes, becoming the fourth game in NHL Stanley Cup Final history with the most PIMs. It got out of hand after Florida took a commanding 5-1 lead, and the action on the ice turned into a bloodbath as Edmonton retaliated with hits and after-the-whistle brawls.
The Oilers were dominated in every facet of the game. However, Kane argued that the 30-minute gap between Edmonton’s 85 penalty minutes and Florida’s 55 was a major factor behind the lopsided final score on the board.
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“The game obviously got out of hand at the end. That stuff is going to happen. You look at some of the calls and, whatnot. Some of them are frustrating. They seem to get away with it more than we do,” Kane vividly stated after the game, per TSN. “It’s tough to find the line. They’re doing just as much stuff as we are. There seems to be a little more attention to our group.“
Bold warning
The Oilers played their worst game so far in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. They were manhandled by the Panthers. It was unexpected as the previous tilts had been one-score games decided in overtime. However, McDavid is confident him and his teammates can right the ship.
“I don’t think our best has shown up all series long, but it’s coming,” Oilers captain Connor McDavid admitted after the 6-1 routing against the Panthers, via TSN.
Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers warms up before playing the Florida Panthers in Game Three of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena on June 09, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida.
Expecting it
While McDavid’s statement might sound cliche and unconvincing to some, Paul Maurice and the Panthers aren’t taking the warning lightly. Florida knows better than to pop champagne bottles after just three games in the Stanley Cup Final series.
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According to insider Jameson Olive, Maurice emphasized how the Panthers played their best game in last year’s Final after their 8-1 loss to Edmonton in Game 4. “[The Panthers] expect a big response from the Oilers [in Game 4],” Olive said.
