No more room for error as game 3 loss puts Oilers down 3-0 in Stanley Cup Final

The Edmonton Oilers will need to win four straight games if they want to lift the Stanley Cup this year.

Despite a furious comeback attempt in the third period, the Oilers were unable to overcome a poor stretch of the middle frame and lost 4-3 in game three on Thursday night.

Panthers captain Alexander Barkov, who left game two with an injury after a hit from Leon Draisaitl, scored the game-winning goal, while Edmonton’s stars stayed snake bitten.

THE PANTHERS ARE ONE WIN AWAY FROM HOISTING THE #STANLEYCUP! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/iEnVf3SipZ

— NHL (@NHL) June 14, 2024

Florida opened the scoring late in the first period courtesy of a Sam Reinhart redirect on a hard pass from Gustav Forsling.

Rogers Place erupted less than two minutes into the third when Warren Foegele tied the game with the first Stanley Cup Final goal to be scored in Edmonton in 18 years.

WARREN FOEGELE TIES THINGS UP IN EDMONTON. 🚨🔥

(🎥: @NHL)pic.twitter.com/YBEhOX4ADk

— theScore Bet (@theScoreBet) June 14, 2024

As the game neared its midway mark, things fell apart for the Oilers and the Panthers blew things wide open with three goals in a span of just over six minutes.

The 2-1 goal might have been the toughest to take, as Vladimir Tarasenko deposited the puck into a relatively open net after a blunder by Stuart Skinner behind the goal.

Sam Bennett and Barkov followed up with slightly more conventional goals only a few minutes later and Rogers Place was left in a stunned silence.

THREE SECOND PERIOD GOALS FOR THE PANTHERS ‼️

(via @Sportsnet)

pic.twitter.com/g3BQKTNDpv

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) June 14, 2024

Oilers fans didn’t lose hope, however, and the crowd spurred their team on as they fought hard to claw back into the game in the final frame.

Philip Broberg and Ryan McLeod both scored their second of the playoffs to bring Edmonton back to within one with just over five minutes to play, and McLeod nearly doubled down shortly after his goal.

Instead of blowing the roof off the arena, and putting the home team back on level terms, Sergei Bobrovsky instead made a five-alarm save to preserve the Panthers’ lead.

What an unbelievable save by Bobrovsky to keep the Panthers up 1

pic.twitter.com/mGSc3fneO1

— Drew Livingstone (@ProducerDrew_) June 14, 2024

Bobrovsky held the fort in the final few minutes and ended up with 25 saves on 28 shots in the victory, while Skinner surrendered four goals on 23 shots.

With no more room for error, Edmonton will begin its efforts to make a historical comeback with game four at home on Saturday night.

The Stanley Cup will be in the building and the Panthers will try to ensure it’s on their flight back home on Sunday with a win and sweep of the championship series.

_{Thumbnail photo courtesy of Getty Images.}