Top standouts from Game 3 of 2025 Stanley Cup Final as Panthers beat Oilers
The Florida Panthers have taken control of the Stanley Cup Final after beating Edmonton 6-1 in Sunrise, Florida on Monday night.
The Panthers scored early and often. Brad Marchand and Carter Verhaeghe made it 2-0 in the first period before Corey Perry cut the lead to 2-1 at 21:40.
Unfortunately for the Oilers, they weren’t able to keep the momentum flowing and Sam Reinhart made it 3-1, only for Sam Bennett to get another before the halfway point of the game. The Oilers kept piling shots on net, but Aaron Ekblad’s fourth of the playoffs made it 5-1, chasing Stuart Skinner in favor of Calvin Pickard.
By then, it was far too late for the Oilers to make a comeback. Evan Rodrigues added another for good measure, ending the game at 6-1, with the Panthers celebrating on home ice to take the series advantage.
Here’s a look at the top standouts in the blowout affair:
Edmonton Oilers
#2 Evan Bouchard, D: The Oakville, Ontario native came to play today. He had four shots in the first five minutes of the game after trying to give the Oilers all the momentum they could possibly get. Even though he’s been prone to some giveaways, Bouchard has had such a positive impact with the puck that you can’t help but love how dangerous he’s been. His assist on Perry’s goal was nice.
#90 Corey Perry, RW: The legend of Corey Perry continues. He had four shots and scored on the power play to give the Oilers some life. Perry’s effort never wavered, battling hard throughout the entire game to show the rest of the team what it takes to win. His feistiness was fun to watch.
Florida Panthers
#63 Brad Marchand, LW: He loves hanging out by the crease. Marchand was shoved, attacked, you name it on the 1-0 goal, but he managed to break through and score the opening goal. His ability to not get pushed out of position in front of the net shows his pure body strength, and it’s why he continues to be so effective at 37.
#27 Eetu Luostarinen, LW: Luostarinen continues to build quite the playoff resume. He loves to battle hard at both ends of the ice, and he was rewarded with two assists today. The 26-year-old uses his big 6-foot-3 frame to win battles and he can skate as good as anyone. His two-way game makes him a valuable bottom-six player, and he’s a great fit alongside Marchand and Anton Lundell.
#23 Carter Verhaeghe, LW: Verhaeghe is an underrated shooter. He scored a beautiful goal over Stuart Skinner’s right arm to make it 2-1 late in the first period. Verhaeghe also sprung Reinhart on a great chance to make it 3-1, negating the Oilers’ momentum after Perry cut the lead in half. The Panthers haven’t been getting the performances they’ve needed out of guys like Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov, but Verhaeghe has stepped up to the plate.
#72 Sergei Bobrovsky, G: Bobrovsky has had his ups and downs in this series but he locked it down big time today. He didn’t allow a goal at 5-on-5 and kept the Panthers in it when the team was getting pummeled with shots early on. Bobrovsky is as good as anyone at bouncing back from a tough game, and while he did win in Game 2, he allowed a few goals he would have liked back. Today was fantastic.
#9 Sam Bennett, C: If the Panthers win the Cup, the Conn Smythe is likely going home with Bennett. He scored a breakaway goal and then led the Panthers in hits, which he’s known to do. He didn’t have to spend the whole game creating havoc in front of the net, but he was able to push guys around everywhere else while using his speed to create chances.
#13 Sam Reinhart, RW: That backhander on the 5-1 goal was a beauty. It was his second point of the night after scoring a weak goal on Skinner to give the Panthers their momentum back. It was his first point of the series, but he looked on top of his game as he helped the Panthers pull ahead. They’ll need more performances like that the rest of the way if the Panthers are going to go back-to-back.
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