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The Edmonton Oilers pulled goalie Stuart Skinner in Game 3 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final. And that move was quite indicative of their night against the Florida Panthers. Skinner allowed five goals on 23 shots before getting benched. In the end, Jake Walman and his Edmonton teammates lost 6-1 as tensions with the Panthers rose in the third period.
The physicality took a major leap in Game 3 from the first two games. While both teams had their moments in Edmonton, it was nothing like this. The Oilers took 85 total penalty minutes against Florida in this contest. And the Panthers made them pay by scoring three of their six goals on the man advantage. Walman addressed the physicality after the game on Monday night.
“I mean it's for the Stanley Cup, you know. So f**k. There's not an inch out there. It's a grown man's game out there. That's not for the faint of heart. Guys are putting everything on the line, you know?” the Oilers defenseman said, via The Athletic's Chris Johnston.
How Panthers, Oilers look after Game 3
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The Oilers now trail the Panthers 2-1 in this series. Edmonton has not trailed 2-1 in a series since the first round. They fell behind the Los Angeles Kings 2-0 in that matchup. However, they mounted a comeback and eliminated Los Angeles in six games. Then, they went on to defeat the Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars in five games.
The Panthers, meanwhile, are riding high. They are two wins away from their second straight Stanley Cup. Florida would become the second team this decade to repeat as champion. The Tampa Bay Lightning are the only other team to win back-to-back Cups in the 2020s.
The 2025 Stanley Cup Final is shaping up to be a very intense series. Game 3 displayed how much these teams truly do not like each other. With the highest of stakes, fans can expect the intensity to reach a fever pitch as we near the end of the series. Game 4 is on Thursday night, emanating from Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida.
