The Florida Panthers seized control of the Stanley Cup Final series, delivering a decisive 6-1 defeat to the Edmonton Oilers in Game 3. Following the matchup on Monday, Oilers forward Evander Kane shared his perspective, suggesting the Panthers appear to be called for fewer penalties than his team.
“They seem to get away with things more often than we do,” Kane commented. “It`s difficult to discern the boundary. They are engaging in actions just as much as we are. There seems to be a slightly greater focus or scrutiny on our squad.”
In Game 3 specifically, the Oilers were assessed 21 penalties, resulting in a total of 85 minutes spent shorthanded, whereas the Panthers accumulated just 14 penalties for 55 minutes. Florida effectively capitalized on their power-play opportunities, scoring three of their six goals while holding a man advantage.
Kane himself incurred two penalties during the initial period of Game 3, being penalized for both cross-checking and high-sticking.
The second period saw minimal infractions with just a single penalty called, but the final period escalated significantly. A substantial line brawl midway through the third period resulted in misconduct penalties for multiple players, including Sam Bennett, Mattias Ekholm, and Darnell Nurse. Kane also received a misconduct penalty later in the period after slashing Carter Verhaeghe.
Tensions undoubtedly rose throughout the final twenty minutes, but Kane didn`t attribute it to the Panthers intentionally provoking the Oilers.
“No, I don`t believe that`s the case. I think the game simply became undisciplined towards the end,” Kane added. “Those occurrences happen. When you review some of the penalty calls and such, naturally, some of them are frustrating.”
It is worth noting that the Panthers had committed more penalties than the Oilers in each of the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final series.
With their victory in Game 3, the Panthers have now secured consecutive wins and hold a 2-1 lead in the series. The Panthers established an early lead in Game 3, setting the tone for their dominant 6-1 win.
The Panthers will now look to build a commanding 3-1 series lead when they face off against the Oilers in Game 4 on Thursday.
