By Joe Coopersmith
NHL Public Relations
* The Panthers scored in the opening minute and rode the momentum of that goal to a commanding win in front of their home crowd, taking a 2-1 series lead in their pursuit of back-to-back championships.
* Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett have both scored in all three games to open the Stanley Cup Final, just the second set of teammates to achieve the feat in NHL history.
* Michael Misa, the No. 2-ranked North American skater for the upcoming 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft, was named the 2024-25 recipient of the E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence. That achievement came prior to Game 3 when Misa, along with three other top prospects in Matthew Schaefer, James Hagens and Jake O’Brien, spent the day meeting players, speaking with the media and as a spectator for the game.
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PANTHERS RIDE FAST START TO 2-1 SERIES LEAD
Motivated by their fans in their first game of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at home, Brad Marchand scored 56 seconds into the contest with his fourth goal of the series to extend his goal streak to three games – the Panthers never looked back in a 6-1 victory to take a 2-1 series lead. Defending champions who take a 2-1 lead in the ensuing Stanley Cup Final have an all-time series record of 9-1.
* Click here to watch highlights from Game 3 between the Panthers and Oilers.
* Marchand, who scored the double-overtime winner in Game 2, became the first player in Final history to score in overtime and then again in the opening minute of the following game. Marchand (age 37) also became the oldest player to score in the first three games of a Stanley Cup Final, besting the previous mark held by 35-year-old Frank Mahovlich (3 GP in 1973 w/ MTL).
* Marchand’s opening-minute goal continued a trend in this Final that has seen goals come early and often – Leon Draisaitl scored 1:06 into Game 1 and Sam Bennett opened the scoring 2:07 into Game 2. The only other Final series to have seen a goal scored within three minutes of puck drop in each of the first three contests was in 1938 between the Maple Leafs and Blackhawks.
PANTHERS PLAYOFF PERFORMERS CONTINUE TO PRODUCE
A trio of Panthers who have been consistent producers in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Sam Bennett, Carter Verhaeghe and Brad Marchand, added to their contributions in Game 3 to help lift the defending champions to a 2-1 series lead.
* Bennett scored his playoff-leading 14th goal, already a single-postseason franchise record, to extend his goal streak to four games and set another new franchise record in the playoffs. Bennett joined Marchand in scoring in each of the first three games of the Final – they became the second set of teammates in NHL history to open a Stanley Cup Final with a goal streak of three-plus games, joining Minnesota North Stars forwards Steve Payne (4 GP in 1981) and Dino Ciccarelli (3 GP in 1981).
* Verhaeghe has also left his mark on some Panthers all-time playoffs lists. He scored Florida’s second goal (and added an assist) to boost his franchise records for career playoff goals (33) and game-winning goals (12; including 3 in Stanley Cup Final play) and surpass teammate Sam Reinhart (1-1—2 in Game 3) for first on the franchise’s all-time playoff power-play goals list (9).
FLORIDA’S BLUELINE CONTINUES IMPACT ON 2025 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS
Aaron Ekblad (1-0—1) and Nate Schmidt (0-1—1) were two of four members of Florida’s blueline who found the score sheet Monday – a group that has helped the Panthers be the highest-scoring team through the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Florida has scored 80 goals so far this postseason, including 18 from defensemen.
* Aaron Ekblad’s goal was the 18th by a Panthers defenseman this postseason, a total only seven teams in Stanley Cup Playoffs history have reached before: 1981 Islanders (19), 1985 Oilers (19), 1994 Rangers (19), 2014 Kings (19), 1988 Bruins (18), 2022 Avalanche (18) and 2024 Oilers (18). Of note, this excludes the 2010 Blackhawks since Byfuglien played as a forward during those playoffs.
* Schmidt tied Connor McDavid (5) for the most assists among all players so far this series. Schmidt also became just the eighth defenseman from the expansion era (since 1967-68) to open a Final with a three-game assist streak.
DRAFT PROSPECTS CONTINUE TRADITION OF FINAL VISIT
The annual tradition of top prospects visiting the Stanley Cup Final to soak up the atmosphere before their big day continued in Game 3 with Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa, James Hagens and Jake O’Brien, the top four ranked North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, in attendance.
* The foursome started their day having breakfast with Brad Marchand, who would go on to open the scoring less than a minute into Game 3, at the Panthers practice facility and taking in the Oilers’ morning skate at Amerant Bank Arena followed by a full schedule of media interviews before settling into theirs seats for the game.
* Next stop for the prospects will be the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft at L.A. Live’s Peacock Theater in Los Angeles with the first round set for June 27 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, ESPN+, Sportsnet and TVA Sports.
* Misa was awarded the E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence prior to the game, presented annually by the League to a candidate who best exemplifies commitment to excellence through strength of character, competitiveness, and athleticism. Misa served as captain of the Saginaw Spirit in in the Ontario Hockey League in 2024-25 and became the franchise’s first player ever to lead the Canadian Hockey League in scoring with 62-72—134 (64 GP). Misa set Spirit single-season records for both points and goals thanks, in part, to 46 multi-point outings, 16 multi-goal performances and a 28-game point streak – the third-longest across the CHL.
QUICK CLICKS
* Prospect Matthew Schaefer ‘a lot stronger’ after tragic experiences as teenager
* WATCH: 2025 Stanley Pup now available on YouTube
* Heat center Bam Adebayo bangs Panthers drum before Game 3
* T.J. Oshie retires from NHL following 16-season career
* Brent Dodginghorse wins O’Ree Community Hero Award in Canada
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