The Florida Panthers took control of the Stanley Cup Final by defeating the Edmonton Oilers 6-1 in Game 3, pushing the series to a 2-1 lead. After the game, Oilers winger Evander Kane expressed frustration over what he described as an uneven application of penalty calls, stating that the Panthers seem to escape penalties more often.

Kane commented,

“They seem to get away with it more than we do. 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.”

—Evander Kane, Oilers Forward

Penalty Statistics Highlight Physicality and Imbalance in Game 3

In Game 3, the officiating reflected a notable disparity: Edmonton was assessed 21 penalties resulting in 85 minutes of shorthanded play, while Florida drew 14 penalties totaling 55 minutes. The Panthers capitalized effectively on the power play, scoring three of their six goals with an extra player on the ice.

Kane himself was penalized twice in the opening period, first for cross-checking, then for high-sticking. The second period slowed with only one penalty called, but tensions flared in the third with a line brawl leading to multiple misconduct penalties for players including Sam Bennett, Mattias Ekholm, and Darnell Nurse. Kane also drew a misconduct penalty after slashing Carter Verhaeghe later in the period.

Escalating Aggression Does Not Stem From Panthers Provoking Oilers, Says Kane

Despite the rise in physicality in the latter part of Game 3, Kane did not believe the Panthers intentionally provoked the Oilers. He said,

“No, I don’t think so. I think the game obviously got out of hand at the end there. That stuff is going to happen. You look at some of the calls and whatnot, [and] obviously some of them are frustrating.”

—Evander Kane, Oilers Forward

Interestingly, the Panthers had been penalized more than the Oilers in each of the first two games of the series, underscoring the fluctuating nature of officiating in the finals.

Panthers Poised to Extend Series Lead as Next Game Approaches

With momentum on their side, the Panthers aim to expand their 2-1 series advantage in Game 4, scheduled for Thursday. Brad Marchand, who scored twice for Florida in a thrilling 5-4 overtime victory in Game 2, struck first in Game 3 to set the tone early for the Panthers.

This series intensifies as both teams push to gain the upper hand, with disciplinary issues and physical play likely to remain focal points as the Stanley Cup Final progresses.