Before the puck even dropped in Game 3, you could feel the difference. The usual playoff buzz was still there around Amerant Bank Arena, but there was something more grounded in it — like fans knew Florida had a real shot to put their stamp on this series.

Then the puck dropped, and the Panthers backed it up. From the opening minute to the final whistle, Florida looked sharper, more physical, and way more composed than the Oilers.

Quick Start, Quicker Snowball

Brad Marchand didn’t wait around. Less than a minute into Game 3, the 37-year-old winger snuck right into the heart of the Oilers’ zone and buried one past Stuart Skinner high glove-side. The place exploded.

Marchand’s goal was the fastest ever by a Panthers player in a Stanley Cup Final game, and the fourth-fastest playoff goal in franchise history overall. Pretty wild for a guy who just joined the team at the trade deadline. He’s now scored in all three games of the series, and even more impressively, became the oldest player to score in each of the first three Final games. For all the people wondering what he had left in the tank, the answer is a lot.

But beyond the stat sheet, that goal did something bigger. It punched the air out of whatever early momentum Edmonton had from their Game 2 win. The Panthers put the Oilers in chase mode immediately, and that changed everything.

Florida wasn’t done there. Midway through the period, Carter Verhaeghe added to it with a power-play goal. Edmonton answered briefly with a Corey Perry goal that cut it to 2-1, but that moment of hope lasted all of 80 seconds. That’s how long it took for Sam Reinhart to rip one home off a nice forecheck and a bit of chaos created by Barkov. That shot — clean, confident, and sudden — felt like the moment the game tipped for good. Head coach Paul Maurice called it “the inflection point,” and it was hard to argue.

From there, it was all Panthers. They didn’t let off the gas, and Edmonton never really looked like they had a second wind in them.

Everyone Chipped In

This Panthers team isn’t built around one guy, and Game 3 was a reminder of just how deep and balanced they really are. It wasn’t the Matthew Tkachuk show. It wasn’t the Barkov show. It was everybody.

Sam Bennett stood out in a big way — not just because he scored again (his 14th of the postseason, which leads all players), but because of how he played the whole night. He laid a couple of big hits on the forecheck to force a turnover, and then finished a breakaway chance a few seconds later. That kind of effort is what makes him such a headache to deal with, especially in the playoffs.

But it wasn’t just Bennett. Carter Verhaeghe chipped in with another big goal, Aaron Ekblad buried a power-play blast after a mental mistake from Skinner, and Evan Rodrigues capped it off with one more for good measure.

It’s the kind of effort that’s been a theme for Florida all playoffs long. They’ve now scored five or more goals in 11 different postseason games. Only five other teams in NHL history have done that, and four of them went on to win it all. It’s not just that they can score — it’s that it can come from anywhere in the lineup.

What Makes Them Dangerous?

• Three scoring lines: One of the biggest reasons Florida is so hard to deal with right now is that they don’t rely on just one or two lines to carry the scoring. If it’s not Marchand, Barkov, or Reinhart doing the damage, then Bennett, Verhaeghe, and Rodrigues step in. And if somehow you manage to slow both of those lines down, there’s Eetu Luostarinen quietly producing from the third line with 16 points this postseason.

• Relentless forecheck: The Panthers didn’t just outscore the Oilers — they wore them down physically. Florida finished the night with a 38–23 edge in hits, and most of those came in the first two periods, before the game really got out of hand. That physical edge has been part of Florida’s identity all postseason, and it showed up again in a big way.

• Special-teams wake-up: Florida’s power play had been pretty underwhelming at home through the first few rounds. But they turned that around in a big way, going 3-for-11 on the man advantage.

Bob Stands Tall — Again

Sergei Bobrovsky didn’t need to stand on his head all night, but when the Oilers finally broke through for a real chance late in the second — Draisaitl flying in on a two-on-one — it was vintage Bob. He stayed square, kicked out the pad, smothered the rebound, and didn’t look rattled for even a second. That’s been the story with Bobrovsky all playoffs long: calm, composed, and exactly where he needs to be.

At 36 years old, Bobrovsky isn’t necessarily being asked to steal games like he did earlier in his career, but he’s giving Florida exactly what they need. Through three games of the Final, he’s posted a .957 save percentage at five-on-five — tied for the second-most saves in that span with Olie Kolzig back in 1998, and just a few short of Tuukka Rask’s pace in 2013.

Edmonton’s Self‑Inflicted Wounds

You can glance at the shot totals — 33 for Edmonton, 31 for Florida — and think this might’ve been a pretty even game. But that wouldn’t tell you much of the story. The Oilers completely lost their grip on any kind of structure or discipline. They ended up spending more time in the penalty box than they did generating real chances in the offensive zone.

It started early, with Edmonton taking four minor penalties in the first 13 minutes. Instead of regrouping and responding with their speed and skill, the Oilers tried to drag the game into the mud. It didn’t work. Trent Frederic lit the fuse by cross-checking Sam Bennett and snapping his stick. That kicked off a full-on meltdown. Darnell Nurse dropped the gloves with Jonah Gadjovich in what looked like the night’s main event, but there were plenty of sideshows too. Evander Kane got into it, so did Mattias Ekholm, Jake Walman, and pretty much everyone else. The refs did the best they could to calm things down and finally handed out a wave of misconducts late in the third.

By the end, eight players were tossed. Five from Edmonton, three from Florida. The Oilers were unraveling. And the Panthers were laughing and chirping from the bench, knowing full well the Oilers were playing right into their hands.

Meanwhile, Edmonton’s stars couldn’t buy a spark. Connor McDavid finished with just two shots on goal. Leon Draisaitl didn’t register a single one. That’s not a recipe for success when your two best players are supposed to carry you. McDavid’s seven-game point streak was snapped, and his postgame comments didn’t sound overly optimistic. “Obviously it wasn't our best, not our best at all,” he said, clearly frustrated.

Skinner’s Rough Night

Stuart Skinner was having a tough night, and it wasn’t just the scoreboard that told the story — it was how the goals were going in.

He ended up allowing five goals on 23 shots before getting the hook, but what stood out was the pattern. At least three of the goals came from nearly the same area: just inside the faceoff circle, glove side. Marchand beat him there on the very first shot of the game. Later on, Ekblad blasted one from a similar spot on the power play. Even Verhaeghe’s goal came from a similar range, with Skinner sliding a split-second late.

It wasn’t just one bad bounce or an odd-man rush gone wrong — it was repeatable exposure. Florida saw something and kept going back to it, and Skinner just didn’t have an answer.

Then came the delay-of-game penalty early in the third, where Skinner flipped the puck over the glass during a routine clear. Florida scored right after that on the power play, and at 5-1, the game was pretty much out of reach.

Panthers Set the Tone, and the Pressure's on Edmonton

Game 3 didn’t leave much up for debate. Florida was the better team in just about every phase — more structured, more physical, and more disciplined. They stuck to what’s worked for them all postseason, and Edmonton just didn’t have an answer.

Of course, this series is far from over. McDavid and Draisaitl are too good to stay quiet forever, and the Oilers have already shown this spring that they can bounce back when they need to. But right now, the pressure’s clearly on them. The Panthers have set the pace — and heading into Game 4, it’s on Edmonton to catch up.