2024 Stanley Cup Final: Winners and losers for Game 3, including Aleksander Barkov

Three nights after being knocked out of the final 10 minutes in Game 2 on a questionable hit from Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl, Aleksander Barkov’s fingerprints were all over the Panthers’ Game 3 victory. Really, what didn’t the Panthers captain do Thursday? H completely neutralized Draisaitl head-to-head, used his power and skill to set up the game’s first goal late in the first period, scored the eventual game-winner off the rush in the second, won 63 percent of his face-offs and was the central figure every time he was on the ice. Can anyone say Conn Smythe Trophy?

Leon Draisaitl was on ice for three of Florida’s four goals, when the Panthers surged to a 4-1 lead. He played 24 minutes and did not record a point for the third straight game in this series, and managed just three shots on goal and five shot attempts. Draisaitl was on ice for the Oilers final two goals, but needed to find another gear than what he displayed in Game 3 (or the first two games for that matter).

Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 32 of 35 shots to earn his sixth straight win in these playoffs, and is right there with Aleksander Barkov for Conn Smythe Trophy consideration. His massive pad save on Ryan McLeod’s shot late in the third period kept the score 4-3 after the Oilers had surged back to within one. Bobrovsky was outstanding in the first period, stopping all 13 shots when the Oilers tiled the ice their way.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins logged 22:18 in ice time and had one shot on goal to show for it. No points, again. Five shot attempts. Two giveaways. It’s hard to remember seeing him on the ice in Game 3. He waited this long to play in the Stanley Cup Final and is all he’s got?

Vladimir Tarasenko was acquired from the Ottawa Senators prior to the NHL trade deadline to play a top-six role and liven up the Panthers power play. But right now he’s playing a solid two-way game on the third line, doing the little things that win playoff hockey game and providing valued veteran leadership. He’s also scored some big goals, including the series winner in the Eastern Conference Final against the New York Rangers. In Game 3, Tarasenko restored Florida’s lead at 9:12 of the second period and it never looked back. Skating through a stick check in the slot, Tarasenko buried a one-timer off an Eetu Luostarinen pass following an Oilers turnover to make it 2-1.

The Panthers scored four goals and each came after an Oilers turnover. From Evan Bouchard’s misplay at the Florida blue line led to a scoring rush the other way, to Stuart Skinner mishandling the puck behind his own net, to Darnell Nurse coming out in front of his net, coughing the puck up and then failing to cover Sam Bennett before he roofed his shot all alone in the slot, the Oilers pair for their numerous mistakes. During that second period especially the Oilers looked neither poised nor able to handle the Panthers pressure.

It took 17 seasons and a trade-deadline deal to the Panthers, but here’s Kyle Okposo in his first Stanley Cup Final, now one win from winning his first championship. A fourth-liner these days after being a top-six staple much of his career, Okposo is a real feel-good story. He’s played six straight games and gave another solid effort in Game 3 with a team-high five to go along with three shots on goal, making the most of his 6:26 in ice time.

The Oilers were 0-for-3 on the power play and are 0-for-10 in the series. SO, even though they scored three times at even strength in Game 3, the fear must be that this series is over for them if the Oilers cannot find a way to get that explosive touch again on the power play. They had some looks Thursday, especially Connor McDavid and Joel Bouchard, but Sergei Bobrovsky was brilliant time and again. Bottom line, way too much passing on the perimeter and not nearly enough power-play shots on goal.

Each of Edmonton’s three goals Thursday was scored by a secondary source. So, with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Joel Bouchard and Co. blanked again, it was the likes of Warren Foegele, Philip Broberg and Ryan McLeod stepping up to score. Each netted his second goal of these playoffs, just as did the Oilers lone goal scorer in Game 2, Mattias Ekholm. Can’t blame these guys, they’re finding a way — Foegele on a breakaway, Broberg on a shot that deflected in off Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola and McLeod on a deflection in front. The stars should take notes.

Listen, it’s hard to be in the loser category when you’re team is up 3-0 in the Stanley Cup Final. But Carter Verhaeghe had a fairly brutal night in Game 3. First, he was bumped off the top line to the second line in favor of Evan Rodrigues. Then he generated little offensively, and was on ice for each of Edmonton’s goal, to finish minus-3.