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The Florida Panthers now have a stranglehold on the Stanley Cup Final. On Thursday, the Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 in Game 3, and now hold a 3-0 series lead.
Sam Reinhart led the way for the Panthers with a goal and an assist. In doing so, Reinhart snapped a four-game goal-less streak after registering a career-high 57 goals during the regular season.
Florida used a three-goal second period to put Game 3 out of reach. With the game tied at 1-1 in the second period, veteran winger Vladimir Tarasenko scored the first of three unanswered goals that ended up giving the Panthers a commanding 4-1 lead.
At the 9:12 mark of the second period, Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner misplayed the puck behind his own net. Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen was able to flip the loose puck out in front to Tarasenko, who put the Panthers up 2-1.
Just over four minutes later, Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse committed a turnover in his own zone, and Matthew Tkachuk pounced on the puck. Tkachuk flipped it over to a wide-open Bennett, and Bennett deposited a shot into the back of the net to give the Panthers a 3-1 lead.
Selke Trophy winner Aleksander Barkov added another goal late in the second period as he cashed in on a two-on-one opportunity with a tally over the blocker of Skinner. That goal ended up being huge as the Oilers rallied to make it a 4-3 game with 5:17 remaining in the third period.
With Edmonton trailing 4-2, Oilers defenseman Brett Kulak put a shot on net that forward Ryan McLeod was able to deflect into the back of the net. Down the stretch, the Panthers were able to play their brand of suffocating defense, and ride the stellar play of goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. The Panthers netminder stopped 32 of the 35 shots that he faced on the night.
The Panthers will have a chance to close out the Stanley Cup Final in Game 4 on Saturday.
