Stanley Cup Final Game 3 live blog, Oilers at Panthers

Welcome to Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final from Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida. The Panthers lead the best-of-7 series 2-1 after a 6-1 win on Monday. .

NHL.com Editor-in-Chief Bill Price was high atop the arena to provide all the sights, sounds and color with our Stanley Cup Final live blog.

11:10 p.m. ET

And that's it from Sunrise on what was a big night for the Panthers and a really rough one for the Oilers.

The Panthers win it 6-1 and Oilers have plenty of questions to answer before Game 4 here on Thursday.

Thanks for following along with the blog. Be sure the read NHL.com later tonight for all the postgame comments.

11:03 p.m. ET

And Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final is in the books and it was all Florida Panthers.

They scored early, they scored often and got under the skin of the Oilers, who -- with 4:13 left -- have 10 skaters left. THe rest have been given the gate.

The result was a 5 on 3 for Florida, which scored on the power play while the fans sang "Country Roads" by John Denver.

This goal goes to NHL.com blogger Evan Rodrigues and it's 6-1.

10:55 p.m. ET

We have a little more than five minutes left and the Panthers are in full control, leading 5-1.

We had a big melee at 10:29, and the hitting continues.

Carter Verhaeghe was just slashed by Evan Bouchard and while he was down on the ice Evander Kane then hit Verhaeghe in the face with his stick, getting himself a game misconduct. It's the third penalty Kane has taken in this game and yet another example of the Panthers completely getting under the Oilers' skin and making them take major penalties.

On the ensuing power play more argy-bargy breaks out, with Jake Walman going after Matthew Tkachuk, then Aaron Ekblad joined the party.

More misconducts have been handed out. The way this is going, they're won't be many guys left on the bench. We still have 5:16 to play.

The fans are loving every second of it, and why not? This is not only the best the Panthers have looked in the postseason, but this has to be the worst game the Oilers have played since Games 1 and 2 of the first round against the Los Angeles Kings.

10:46 p.m. ET

We are just past the midway point in the third period and it's been all Panthers, who lead 5-1.

Stuart Skinner was pulled, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have been quiet and the Oilers have taken eight penalties.

And now the fans are chanting "We Want the Cup."

And seconds later, a melee breaks out with Trent Frederic going after Sam Bennett to start it. To quote a famous call of a Hartford Whalers fight, it's like Saturday night at Roseland, everyone is paired off. Darnell Nurse and Jonah Gadjovich are still slugging it out and the fans are going crazy.

This is clearly Edmonton frustration coming out and the Panthers and their fans love it.

At the end of it all, Edmonton's Kasperi Kapanen used his stick to fire a couple of Panthers' helmets back to their side of the ice.

And now "Mr Brightside" is playing and it's a full fledged Florida Panthers party in here.

10:38 p.m. ET

The Panthers have clearly gotten under the skin of the Oilers, who are taking penalties after the whistle and it's getting ugly quick here.

The Panthers lead 5-1 and they clearly want more and smell blood. This time Mattias Janmark takes a roughing call. That's eight penalties for the Oilers.

Though he's on the bench, the fans are still chanting "We Want Skinner." It's been a brutal night for Edmonton. The good thing is the Oilers have two days before Game 4 on Thursday.

10:31 p.m. ET

The Panthers don't score on the power play to start the third but get another one when Stuart Skinner flicks the puck over the glass at 2:19. That's six penalties for the Oilers -- all really carless.

And Skinner is paying for it, as he is getting peppered with shots from the Panthers. And finally, they score on a goal from Aaron Ekblad, who takes a gorgeous, behind-the-back, no look feed from Sam Reinhart and now it's 5-1 and it feels like the rout is on.

And that is the end of the night for Stuart Skinner, who gets pulled in place of Calvin Pickard.

The DJ, perhaps talking about the Panthers, plays "Hard To Handle" by the Black Crowes.

Bennett nearly scored early in the power play, firing a shot off the post that originally hit off Jake Walman's skate.

Just an update, there will be no more singing from George tonight. He has gone downstairs to watch the remainder of the game in the media workroom. either that, or he's trying to fix the goal horn.

10:22 p.m. ET

The third period has begun and the Panthers lead 4-1.

The consensus in the press box is that the Panthers are not only playing their game but drawing the Oilers into playing their game, too, and it's working to perfection.

The Oilers have taken five penalties -- three in the offensive zone -- and just seem out sync.

Can they turn it around in the final 20 minutes, we'll see.

10 p.m. ET

We are through 40 minutes and it's all Panthers here, leading 4-1 in Game 3.

After Corey Perry scored a power play goal for Edmonton 1:40 into the second period to make it a 2-1 game, the Panthers then established their dominance, scoring the next two goals, getting them from ol' reliables Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett.

The Oilers will start the period shorthanded after Darnell Nurse took a roughing penalty with a hit from behind on Anton Lundell. That's another penalty for the the Oilers.

After the penalty Jake Walman of the Oilers and Niko Mikkola of the Panthers were having words on the benches.

It will be interesting to see how the Oilers play this third period. They may not win this game, but they need to get some positives going into Game 4.

They are trying get their physical game going with a little pushing and shoving after each whistle, but that plays into Florida's hands a bit.

I know this is only one game and there is a long way to go, but this feels like a series-shifting game in the favor of the Panthers.

The DJ just played "Higher" by Creed. Thankfully it only lasted a second.

And now it's "Crazy Train" by Ozzy after some pushing and shoving in front of Sergei Bobrovsky, which leads to a "Bobby, Bobby" chant.

9:50 p.m. ET

They just played "Livin On A Prayer" by Bon Jovi in here. George Richards started singing it, but thankfully he was getting up to go somewhere, so I only heard a one line from him.

Anyway, one of these teams will be "halfway there" after this one, just two wins from the Stanley Cup. Right now, it looks and feels like the Panthers will be the ones at the end of the night who will be halfway there, but we still have a long way to go and anyone who watched the first two games of this Final -- and if you didn't shame on you -- knows no lead is safe between these two teams.

I'm about 10 Hersheys miniatures in and I don't feel full. My theory about the miniatures must be right.

The DJ just got the Led out before a face-off, playing "Rock N' Roll." It's been a long time, been a long, been a long, lonely, lonely time.

9:46 p.m ET

The first shift with McDavid and Draisaitl didn't get much going for the Oilers, who are struggling to get any offense going here.

In fact, McDavid took a hit from Aaron Ekblad and went to the Oilers room for a second, but now he's back.

While there is a break in the action, here are some great nuggets from the team at NHLstats.

-- Brad Marchand opened the scoring with his eighth goal of the postseason -- and in his third straight game to start the Final. He tied Ray Sheppard for the third most by a Panthers skater in their first postseason with the club and trails only Matthew Tkachuk (11) and Dave Lowry (10).

-- Marchand opened the scoring 56 seconds into Game 3. The last Stanley Cup Final contest to feature a goal in the opening minute was in 2022, when Tampa Bay’s Anthony Cirelli tallied 36 seconds into Game 4.

-- Marchand scored his 11th career goal in a Stanley Cup Final. The last Final to feature players with as many career goals in the championship round was in 1994 (Glenn Anderson & Mark Messier).

-- The Oilers have seven comeback wins so far this postseason, which is the most among all teams.

-- Carter Verhaeghe scored his ninth career playoff power-play goal and overtook Sam Reinhart (8) for the most in Panthers history. He already owns the franchise record for career playoff goals.

-- Marchand became the first player in NHL history to score an overtime goal and then an opening minute goal in the following game in the Stanley Cup Final.

-- Nate Schmidt factored on Carter Verhaeghe’s goal and has an assist in each of the first three games of the Stanley Cup Final. He is tied with Connor McDavid (5) for the most helpers among all players so far this series. Schmidt also became just the eighth defenseman from the expansion era (since 1967-68) to open a Final with a three-game assist streak.

9:41 p.m. ET

If you are an Oilers fan, you have to be a bit concerned right now as the Panthers are playing like the team that won the first three games of last season's Cup Final en route to the championship.

They are hitting, they are forechecking, they are stiffling the Oilers, including Connor McDavid (two shots on goal) and Leon Draisaitl (no shots on goal).

The DJ just played some "Dancing by Myself" by Billy Idol. Thankfully, George Richards did not sign along.

He might be the only person in this place not yelling.

The Oilers have put McDavid and Draisaitl on the same line here with an offensive zone face-off, hoping to spark the offense.

9:37 p.m. ET

The Panthers have certainly gotten a boost from the Reinhart goal, because they are absolutley buzzing right now, and so is this crowd.

It feels like the Panthers are one goal away from breaking this one wide open. They already lead 3-1.

Welp, make that 4-1. Sam Bennett scores on a breakaway and this place is going absolutely nuts. Bennett absolutely undressed Stuart Skinner, who is not getting much help from his teammates.

You wonder if we will see a goalie change soon.

The Oilers, who seemed to get back in the game with the early power play goal, are reeling at the moment with their second-period issues continuing.

9:33 p.m. ET

Well, that Oilers momentum didn't last long. The Panthers come right back and makd it a 3-1 game on a goal by Sam Reinhart.

It's the second goal that has beaten Stuart Skinner high on the short side.

And remember what I said earlier about this being a tighter game, well, that is out the window. We've had two goals in the first 3 minutes of the second period and the crowd is back at a fever pitch.

And again, no goal horn for the Panthers. Maybe it go worn out.

9:28 p.m. ET

The Oilers finally cash in on the power play in their fourth try, and it's the second unit that gets it done with Corey Perry getting the puck past Sergei Bobrovsky and just like that, the Oilers are back in the game.

I have done a great job avoiding the pile of donut hole treats behind me, but the Hersheys minatures have been my downfall.

Question, if you eat 10 Mr. Goodbar miniatures, is that the same as eating a whole bar? I say no. Who is with me?

9:24 p.m. ET

The second period has begun and the Oilers need to find a way back into this game.

They are down 2-0, are 0-for-3 on the power play and have taken four penalties of their own. Not exactly a recipe for success.

They will start the second period on the power play with Anton Lundell getting a roughing minor in the post-buzzer scrum.

George Richards continues to sing with the songs in the arena and it's quite entertaining.

He is still trying to find out what is going on with the Panthers' goal horn.

DJ Khaled is filling the void, doing a mini show between periods.

Speaking of music icons, Brian Slagel, NHL.com's friend on the man behind Metal Blade Records is in town this week, so hopefully we get some metal played here.

9:07 p.m. ET

The first 20 minutes are in the books and it’s 2-0 Florida. And things are getting nasty.

Right after the buzzer sounded, a big scrum broke out in front Stuart Skinner, with Anton Lundell and Mattias Ekholm right in the middle of things.

The crowd, which has its team already up 2-0, is loving it.

The Panthers scored 54 seconds into the game and then on the power play with 2:15 left.

The Oilers took four penalties in the first period -- three in the offensive zone, and one a too many men penalty. If they are going to win this game and this series, they can’t be doing that.

Also, if they are going to win, they need to score on their own power play. They had three chances in the first period and couldn’t cash in.

9:05 p.m. ET

Update: The goal horn still not working. How do we know? Because Carter Verhaeghe just scored on the power play with 2:15 left in the first period and it’s 2-0 Florida.

And Stuart Skinner is hearing it again from the crowd.

The Panthers went on the power play after Viktor Arvidsson ran into goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, resulting in a little argy-bargy at center ice.

That came a few minutes after the Oilers missed on the power play. They are now 0-for-3 tonight on the man advantage and have taken four penalties.

For a game that is really important, both teams are taking careless penalties.

8:55 p.m. ET

We’re back at 5-on-5 and it’s still 1-0 Florida. With the teams exchanging penalties, the Oilers ended up with a short power play with Evan Bouchard getting the best chance, but Sergei Bobrovsky was able to get a glove on it.

The pace, the hitting and crowd noise is certainly starting to pick up here. Those the first two games of this Final were back and forth affairs, this already has the feeling of a tight one.

Evander Kane, who has spend a good chunk of the first period in the penalty box, just had a good scoring chance, but he shot it wide short side and out of play.

8:45 p.m. ET

The Oilers keep shooting themselves in the foot. Not only has Evander Kane taken two penalties in the offensive zone, they just took a too many men penalty with 9:51 left in the first.

The Oilers’ penalty kill has done the job so far tonight, going two-for-two in the first period, and with them already trailing 1-0 on Brad Marchand’s goal 54 seconds into the game, it’s been key, But this next kill seems huge.

Well, the kill didn't need to last long as Florida's Aaron Ekblad took a tripping penalty just 53 seconds into the power play, so we'll play four-on-four for 1:07.

The Panthers went on their second power play when Evander Kane -- him again -- got nabbed for high-sticking against Brad Marchand at 7:54. That’s already two penalties for Kane in the offensive zone.

It’s funny, it’s loud in here, but I sense the crowd knows the Panthers have a challenge on their hands with this Oilers team. It just seems a little more subdued than it was here last year.

8:40 p.m. ET

I know it’s early, but Sergei Bobrovsky looks sharp early, holding down the fort on an Oilers power play. We’re six minutes in and he’s already made nine saves.

The power play lasted only 1:51 because Evander Kane took a cross-checking penalty in the offensive zone at the end of the power play.

The Panthers’ best chance on the power play came when Matthew Tkachuk fed Sam Reinhart near the crease, but Reinhart’s deflection sailed wide.

We might have bigger breaking news here. George is wondering if the goal horn here is broken. It didn’t sound when the Panthers hit the ice and didn’t sound when they scored.

Hmm.

8:30 p.m. ET

The fans are already giving it to Stuart Skinner, chanting “Skinner, Skinner,” -- allowing a goal less than a minute into the game can cause that.

A few minutes after the Skinner made a big save on Gustav Forsling to keep it a 1-0 game, flashing out his pad.

Back to Marchand, it’s incredible how he’s not only fit in with this Panthers team, but how he has excelled. He has eight goals in the playoffs, four of them coming in the Final.

At 37, Marchand became the oldest player to score in the first three games of a Stanley Cup Final, besting the previous mark held by 35-year-old Frank Mahovlich (3 GP in 1973 w/ MTL).

Could you imagine if the Panthers win the Cup and he wins the Conn Smythe? Boston Bruins fans may never get over it.

Back to George Richards for a second, he's now singing along with Billy Joel's "You May Be Right." Good times.

8:26 p.m. ET

Well, that didn’t take long. The Panthers are on the board just 56 seconds into the game and it’s that man again, Brad Marchand. He picked up a loose puck off a scramble and buried it into the open net.
1-0 Florida.

Up here in the press box we have NHL.com correspondent and Florida Hockey Now king George Richards.

His is a legend here in South Florida, and is giving us the rundown on the press box TVs -- regarding which ones are in real time and which ones are delayed.

The NHL.com is a bit spread out here, with five of us in the main press box and a few other in the auxillary box.

8:22 p.m. ET

The anthems and the pregame hype is over and it’s time to drop the puck.

The anthems, of course, were emotional.

This after the message on the ice told the fans to “GET CUP LOUD.” And they are loud. REALLY, REALLY LOUD.

DJ Khaled got the crowd pumped by spinning some vinyl and telling the fans to “make some noise.” That was before player introductions. Not surprisingly, the Oilers were booed.

One interesting during playing introductions was Oiler forward Evander Kane, who is not starting, taking a lap or two on the ice while the Panthers were being introduced.

If you’re keeping score at home, the official drum-banger for the Panthers tonight was Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat.

It’s really incredible how the Panthers have turned this area into a hockey hotbed. These fans are going absolutely bonkers and the game hasn’t started yet.

And why not? This is clearly a huge game, with the winning team moving within two wins of the Cup.

The first two games of this Final have been absolutely bonkers, with lead changes, quick goals, hits, penalties. We expect more of it tonight.

My NHL.com colleague Shawn Roarke, who did this live blog the first two games, has yet to recover from the chaos. I hope I can survive.

8 p.m. ET

The news we’ve all been waiting for is official -- Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is in the lineup.

It’s a big plus for the Oilers, who had said the past two days he was a game-time decision. Well, the decision has been made and he’s in.

We still have about 20 minutes before puck drop and this place is filling up.

We all get a kick out of the PA announcer here at Amerant Bank Arena who tells fans before the game to “sit back, relax, and enjoy the game.”

Sit back? Relax? Good luck with that.

This press box area is a who’s who of hockey media.

Perhaps the biggest name up here tonight was Sam Rosen, the newly retired Rangers announcer.

He has a place in South Florida and is here to watch some more hockey.

And, of course, the second biggest name is Dan Rosen (no relation) of NHL.com. (This is sarcasm, by the way).

7:40 p.m. ET

The teams are on the ice for warmups and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is out there for the Oilers, but that is no indication on if he’s going to play. Coach Kris Knolauch told us this morning that he would take warmups and then a decision would be made. Troy Stecher is out there as well, so if RNH can’t go, Stetcher would.

It would be a big blow for Edmonton if he can’t play, so it’s something to keep an eye on.

Something else to keep an eye on is my diet, which is already being test just one day in Fort Lauderdale.

The Panthers put out this ridiculous spread of little donut hole treats – not sure if they are officially Munchkins – and other sweets for the media.

And it’s pretty much right behind me. Not good.

7:20 p.m. ET

Welcome to hot, sunny and hockey-crazed South Florida. In addition to the humidity, you can feel the tension in the air around here with Game 3 about an hour away and the series and Cup clearly up for grabs.

Last year for Game 3, the Panthers were up 2-0 and had shown early who the better team was. This year, it’s anyone’s guess. Two games each decided in overtime and really no difference at all between the two teams.

The fans who have been partying in the parking lot, will start to file in soon. No joke, but it’s really chilly in the arena and while you certainly don’t need any kind of jacket outside, a little covering inside would help.

Still, it will be hot fun in the summertime tonight (that's my little tribute to Sly Stone).

What each fan will have is a rally town the Panthers left on every seat. It says "Rats Rule," with a picture of a rat in a Panthers uniform. Book closely and you can see the logos of the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Carolina Hurricanes -- the three teams Florida beat on the road to the Final -- hidden in the photo.

One question that will be answered soon is the status of Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who was listed as a game-time decision Sunday and was on the ice for the Oilers morning skate Monday.

As for the Panthers, A.J. Greer is back in. The forward hasn’t played since Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes on May 28, when he was limited to 4:22 of ice time. Greer missed Game 4 of that series.

He has three points (two goals, one assist) in 12 Stanley Cup Playoff games after he had 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in 81 regular-season games.

Jesper Boqvist will be scratched with Greer able to return. Boqvist, a forward, has five points (two goals, three assists) in 13 games this postseason.

While you get ready for the game, here is some required reading from the NHL.com staff.

Here is Game 3 preview from Dan Rosen.

Here’s Mike Zeisberger with a story on how the Oilers are approaching their first playoff game in Florida since losing Game 7 of the Final last season.

Some of the top prospects in the NHL Draft were in Florida on Monday. Nick Cotsonika details their big day.