The Florida Panthers are on the precipice of history. On Thursday night, they faced off against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 3 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals. They came away with a 4-3 victory, moving one step closer to raising Lord Stanley’s Cup.
The victory pushed the series to 3-0, putting them on the doorstep of the first championship in franchise history. The third time could certainly be the charm, as the Florida Panthers fell short in their first two attempts in the finals.
Winning on the road is hard enough in the NHL. Doing so with the possibility of clinching the series is even more difficult. Captain Aleksander Barkov knows the challenge that lies ahead, but they are ready to face it head-on.
“We know it’s going to be the hardest game for sure,” Barkov said. “We don’t take anything for granted. Every single day is one day at a time. Whether it’s one period, one shift, we take it one at a time. That’s how we’ve been all year.”
Barkov, who was on the receiving end of a nasty forecheck hit by Leon Draisaitl in Game 2 and had to exit, played a big part in the Game 3 win. He had one assist and one goal in the game and started up another with a forced turnover.
His breakaway goal, the first of the game, quieted down a raucous Edmonton crowd that was witnessing a Stanley Cup Finals game in person for the first time since 2006. It was quite a bounceback as no one knew if he would be able to play after being elbowed in the jaw.
Not only did he play, he thrived, helping the Florida Panthers win yet again. The Florida Panthers’ defense deserves a lot of credit as well. They have held the top five scorers for the Oilers in the regular season without a goal in this series.
That suffocating defense shut down the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Finals as well. Chris Kreider scored in only one game and Mika Zibanejad didn’t register a goal in the series. On top of the defensive performance, Sergei Bobrovsky is playing at a high level in goal.
“They are a very skillful offensive team,” Bobrovsky said. “They’re going to make plays. You just focus on each and every one, and it’s a fun challenge. It’s a fun challenge to play against them because they bring the best.”
The Florida Panthers will have a chance to close out the series on Saturday night in Edmonton. If a Game 5 is needed back in Florida, the Panthers and Oilers will take the ice on Tuesday night.
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