Stanley Cup Last: Panthers-Oilers Sport 3 grades, takeaways

Go forward and rely to 11. One. Two. Yada Yada. Eleven.

That is what number of occasions the Florida Panthers have scored 5 or extra targets in a single sport this postseason. No, actually. They did it twice towards the Tampa Bay Lightning, thrice to the Toronto Maple Leafs, 4 occasions towards the Carolina Hurricanes and after doing it in Sport 2 to the Edmonton Oilers, they did it once more Monday in a 6-1 romp in Sport 3 of the Stanley Cup Last.

Scoring targets in bunches is clearly nothing new for the Panthers. However to surrender greater than 5 targets in a playoff sport? Previous to Sport 2, the final time the Oilers allowed that many in a single contest was in Sport 1 of the Western Convention finals — a sequence they might go on to win.

Florida taking a 2-1 sequence lead means the defending Stanley Cup champions are actually two wins away from repeating. Ryan S. Clark and Kristen Shilton study how Sport 3 performed out, what gamers to look at going ahead and what questions every staff should reply going into Sport 4 on Wednesday.

Florida received the higher of Edmonton in each respect: they outworked, and easily outmatched, the Oilers at even power and on particular groups. The Panthers’ forecheck was relentless, they received extra battles alongside the boards and, maybe most critically, held Edmonton’s stars — and whole offense, actually — at bay. That latter feat was due largely to a sensational efficiency in internet from Sergei Bobrovsky, who outplayed Stuart Skinner on the different finish.

The Panthers had been answerable for Sport 3 from the beginning, with Brad Marchand’s aim lower than a minute into the primary interval, and finally received their energy play going when Carter Verhaeghe lit the lamp on their fourth try of the primary interval. Sam Reinhart’s response to Corey Perry’s aim early within the second interval and Sam Bennett’s breakaway after that solely cemented additional how dialed in Florida was.

Going within the third interval up 4-1, understanding they had been 30-1 within the postseason below Paul Maurice when main after two intervals, was all of the positivity the Panthers wanted to not simply chase Skinner from the cage however cruise their method to a convincing win. — Shilton

play

Brad Marchand scores 56 seconds in to offer Panthers early lead

Brad Marchand flicks it in by means of a crowd of defenders to offer the Panthers an early lead vs. the Oilers.

As soon as once more, the Oilers had one other interval during which they gave up two targets, including to what’s been one other power challenge this sequence, together with sluggish begins as a complete. There have been the struggles to retain the puck, solely to then quit turnovers that led to targets. Take away the aim from Corey Perry that was arrange by Evan Bouchard, and the Oilers’ supporting forged additionally struggled to make an affect whereas Los Gatos had six totally different aim scorers.

The Oilers additionally could not hold their cool, ending with 85 penalty minutes, which is essentially the most in a Cup remaining sport since 1986.

A sequence that is been outlined by the notion that both the Oilers or Panthers might’ve taken a 2-0 after the primary two contests led to a Sport 3 that noticed the Oilers wrestle in a number of areas. Mounting comebacks has turn into a lot of a trademark this postseason that they ended the Panthers’ 31-game streak of getting a second-period lead. However they got here into the third interval of Sport 3 trailing by three targets, which was already an issue for a number of causes. The first one being that the final time a staff got here again from a three-goal deficit within the third interval of a Stanley Cup remaining was in 1944 — when the Montreal Canadiens did it off towards the Chicago Blackhawks. After permitting an early power-play aim, Stuart Skinner was changed by Calvin Pickard.

These challenges added as much as the Oilers having their worst sport of the Cup Last — and maybe their poorest efficiency since early within the first spherical towards the Los Angeles Kings. — Clark

Gamers to look at in Sport 4

It is about time the Panthers’ captain enters the Cup Last (scoring) chat, proper?

Whereas the likes of Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand every have 4 targets within the sequence, Barkov has but to register a single level and has registered simply six pictures on internet. After all, Barkov has been crushing huge minutes (together with 30-plus in that double-overtime victory in Sport 2) and been tasked with making an attempt to comprise the Oilers’ high line, however nonetheless. That quantity of ice time makes it much more perplexing that he is failed to seek out the scoresheet by this level.

Barkov had six targets and 11 factors by means of the Panthers’ first three playoff sequence, and was amongst their most constant forwards. One thing simply hasn’t translated but for him to the Last, the place he has regarded a half-step off all through.

That may’t final. Barkov is solely too gifted to not turn into an element for Florida. It is Oilers beware if that occurs — given how the Panthers’ offense carried out in Sport 3 even with out contributions from Barkov, seeing him catch hearth too could possibly be Edmonton’s worst nightmare. — Shilton

Guess we’re doing this once more, aren’t we?

Goaltenders all the time face scrutiny, notably within the playoffs. In any case, it is one of many few professions on the planet during which a purple mild, a loud horn and 1000’s of individuals overtly have fun your errors. Monday was the fourth time throughout these playoffs that Skinner has allowed greater than 5 targets. The second time that occurred, it led to the Oilers changing him with Calvin Pickard within the first spherical. Pickard changed him once more in Sport 3, and would cease seven of eight pictures in 16:33 of ice time.

The newest time that Skinner allowed greater than 5 targets was adopted by the Oilers rallying to win 4 straight to achieve the Stanley Cup Last. And the way a lot of Sport 3 could be positioned on Skinner? The Oilers had 11 giveaways, gave up seven power-play possibilities, and fell prey — as soon as once more — to giving up two unanswered targets in a interval. So is it that Skinner was the issue — or does it have extra to do with the truth that he was failed by the setting round him? — Clark

play

Aaron Ekblad scores off stunning Panthers passing

Aaron Ekblad makes the facility play rely as he slots house a blistering passing play by the Panthers vs. the Oilers.

Huge questions for Sport 4

Florida did a wonderful job neutralizing McDavid and Draisaitl at 5-on-5 and on the facility play, even when Kris Knoblauch was pressured into pairing them collectively on a line halfway by means of the second interval in hopes it might spark the Oilers’ offense. That wasn’t the case — and it did not do a lot to enhance issues for McDavid and Draisaitl, both.

Draisaitl had zero shot makes an attempt by early within the third interval. McDavid had two. Whereas Bobrovsky did seem notably impenetrable, it was tough for both of Edmonton’s stars to generate a lot alternative in entrance of him anyway. By the top of the third interval Knoblauch might need elected to easily cease placing McDavid or Draisaitl over the boards in any respect given how the Oilers had been imploding.

Regardless, no matter was working for Florida in that respect must be bottled and reopened for Sport 4. Edmonton was capable of make Barkov uncomfortable once they had been dictating matchups, and on Florida’s house ice the Panthers had been capable of reply by stymying Edmonton’s two elite scorers. If that is a efficiency Florida can recreate on Thursday, then there’s an actual probability Florida can take a stranglehold on this sequence when it flips again to Edmonton for Sport 5. — Shilton

Can the Oilers repair what’s gone mistaken with their defensive construction as of late?

A breakaway aim from Brad Marchand in Sport 2 received the Panthers on the board, whereas a second breakaway aim from Marchand in double extra time is how they tied the sequence. That is not even counting the Sam Reinhart breakaway that might have ended Sport 2 throughout the first extra time.

Permitting three targets midway by means of Sport 3 was already going to result in questions on what occurred to the Oilers’ defensive scheme. However the Panthers taking a 4-1 lead within the second interval by way of Sam Bennett’s breakaway introduced one other potential concern across the Oilers.

There have already been moments on this sequence during which the Panthers have had a shot share of greater than 65%. As famous above, the Oilers additionally gave up two unanswered targets in a interval, one thing that is occurred six occasions by means of the primary 9 intervals of the sequence. Establishing a way of defensive continuity has been an indicator this postseason for the Oilers. However up to now, an absence of defensive consistency has led to them falling right into a 2-1 gap. — Clark

play

Sam Bennett slots house Panthers’ 4th aim

Sam Bennett fools the goaltender as he tucks within the Panthers’ fourth aim on the breakaway vs. the Oilers.