The Oilers are on the brink of elimination after a 1-1 tie turned into a 4-1 deficit in the second period of Game 3, losing 4-3. Only one team—the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs—has ever won the Stanley Cup after trailing the series 3-0.
After spotting the Panthers to a 1-0 lead in the first period, the Oilers tied it up early in the second, when Warren Foegele scored on a breakaway. However, over 6:19 of the second period, Stuart Skinner gave up three goals to three different scorers, earning the Panthers a commanding 4-1 lead with 20 minutes to go.
Philip Broberg and Ryan McLeod responded for the Oilers in the third period to make it 4-3, but even with Skinner pulled for an extra attacker, the Panthers were able to kill the remaining minutes and held on for the win.
The Panthers are now one win away from their first Stanley Cup championship. They are familiar with the sting of defeat, having lost last year’s Final to the Vegas Golden Knights.
