Stanley Cup Final: Panthers Dominate Oilers Amidst Brawl & Penalty Debate
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The Florida Panthers are now leading the Stanley Cup Final after a decisive 6-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 3. But the game was far from just goals; it featured a major brawl and sparked debate about penalty calls.
Panthers Take Control, But Controversy Brews
Following Monday's game, Oilers forward Evander Kane voiced his opinion that the Panthers "seem to get away with" more penalties than the Oilers. "They seem to get away with it more than we do," Kane stated. "It's tough to find the line. They're doing just as much stuff as we are. There seems to be a little bit more attention on our group."
Penalty Disparity in Game 3
Game 3 saw the Oilers racking up 21 penalties totaling 85 minutes, while the Panthers received only 14 penalties for 55 minutes. Florida capitalized on their power play opportunities, scoring three of their six goals with the man advantage.
Major Brawl Erupts
Halfway through the third period, tensions boiled over into a massive brawl involving all ten players on the ice. It appeared to start after Oilers center Trent Frederic cross-checked Panthers' Sam Bennett. A series of fights ensued, including a notable standoff between Panthers winger Jonah Gadjovich and Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse, who exchanged blows without either falling to the ice.
- Several players, including Gadjovich, Nurse, Greer, Bennett, Ekholm and Frederic, received 10-minute misconduct penalties.
- Kane was also issued a 10-minute misconduct for slashing Carter Verhaeghe.
- Later, Edmonton's John Klingberg and Florida's Matthew Tkachuk also got into it, leading to further penalties.
The game's final minutes were marred by these incidents, leaving a sour taste despite the Panthers' dominant performance. It remains to be seen if the penalty calls and on-ice altercations will impact the remaining games of the series.