The Florida Panthers took control of the Stanley Cup Final with Monday’s dominant 6-1 Game 3 win over the Edmonton Oilers.
Here are our takeaways as the Panthers moved two wins away from their second consecutive Stanley Cup Trophy.
Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner’s struggles reemerge
After being benched following a dismal start to the postseason, Skinner entered Monday with a .927 save percentage over his past six games. Edmonton’s problems in the net appeared to be behind them, but they reentered the frame during the Game 3 rout.
Skinner allowed five goals for the second consecutive game and the fifth time this postseason. He finished the loss with a ghastly .783 save percentage on 23 shot attempts.
Skinner opened the playoffs, allowing 11 goals in Games 1 and 2 of the Oilers’ first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings before being pulled for Calvin Pickard, who suffered an injury in the second round against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Pickard came in for Skinner during the third period and had seven saves on eight shot attempts, potentially forcing coach Kris Knoblauch to make a tough call on who to start in Game 4.
Panthers can’t allow Brad Marchand to leave in free agency
The former Bruins great fits the Panthers like a glove.
After scoring Game 2’s winning goal in double overtime, Marchand quickly picked up where he left off, scoring less than a minute into Game 3 to give Florida a 1-0 lead.
