Panthers clobber Oilers in Game 3: Grades, key players, big questions for both teams

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While Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand have four goals each in the series, Barkov has yet to register a single point and has just six shots on net. Of course, Barkov has been crushing big minutes (including 30-plus in that double-overtime victory in Game 2) and been tasked with trying to contain the Oilers’ top line, but still. That amount of ice time makes it even more perplexing that he has failed to find the score sheet by this point.

Barkov had six goals and 11 points through the Panthers’ first three playoff series, and was among their most consistent forwards. Something just hasn’t translated yet for him to the Final, where he has looked a half-step off throughout.

That can’t last. Barkov is too talented to not become a factor for Florida. It’s Oilers beware if he does. Given how the Panthers’ offense performed in Game 3 even without contributions from Barkov, seeing him catch fire too could be Edmonton’s worst nightmare. — Shilton

Guess we’re doing this again, aren’t we?

Goaltenders always face scrutiny, particularly in the postseason. After all, they have one of the few professions on the planet in which a red light, a loud horn and thousands of people openly celebrate their mistakes. Monday was the fourth time during these playoffs that Skinner has allowed more than five goals. The second time that happened, it led to the Oilers replacing him with Calvin Pickard in the first round. Pickard replaced him again in Game 3, stopping seven of eight shots in 16:33 of ice time. The most recent time that Skinner allowed more than five goals was followed by the Oilers rallying to win four straight to reach the Stanley Cup Final.

But how much of Game 3 can be placed on Skinner? The Oilers had 11 giveaways, gave up seven power-play chances and fell prey once again to giving up two unanswered goals in a period. So was Skinner the problem, or was he failed by the environment around him? — Clark

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Aaron Ekblad scores off beautiful Panthers passing

Aaron Ekblad makes the power play count as he slots home a blistering passing play by the Panthers vs. the Oilers.

Big questions for Game 4

Florida did an excellent job neutralizing McDavid and Draisaitl at 5-on-5 and on the power play, even when Kris Knoblauch was forced into pairing them together on a line midway through the second period in hopes it would spark the Oilers’ offense. That wasn’t the case, and it didn’t do much to improve things for McDavid and Draisaitl either.

Draisaitl had zero shot attempts by early in the third period. McDavid had two. Though Bobrovsky appeared particularly impenetrable, it was difficult for either of Edmonton’s stars to generate much opportunity in front of him anyway. By the end of the third period, Knoblauch might have elected to simply stop putting McDavid or Draisaitl over the boards at all given how the Oilers were imploding.

Regardless, whatever was working for Florida in that respect needs to be bottled and reopened for Game 4. The Oilers were able to make Barkov uncomfortable when they were dictating matchups, but on Florida’s home ice the Panthers were able to respond by stymying Edmonton’s two elite scorers. If the Panthers can re-create that performance Thursday, there’s a real chance they can take a stranglehold on this series when it flips back to Edmonton for Game 5. — Shilton

Can the Oilers fix what has gone wrong with their defensive structure as of late?

A breakaway goal from Brad Marchand in Game 2 got the Panthers on the board, and a second breakaway goal from him in double overtime is how they tied the series. Never mind the Sam Reinhart breakaway that could have ended Game 2 during the first overtime.

Allowing three goals halfway through Game 3 was already going to lead to questions about what happened to the Oilers’ defensive scheme. But the Panthers taking a 4-1 lead in the second period via Sam Bennett’s breakaway presented another potential concern around the Oilers.

There have already been moments in this series in which the Panthers have had a shot share of more than 65%. As noted above, the Oilers also gave up two unanswered goals in a period, something that has happened six times through the first nine periods of the series. Establishing a sense of defensive continuity had been a hallmark this postseason for the Oilers. But in this series, a lack of defensive consistency has led to them falling into a 2-1 hole. — Clark

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Sam Bennett slots home Panthers’ 4th goal

Sam Bennett fools the goaltender as he tucks in the Panthers’ fourth goal on the breakaway vs. the Oilers.