2023 Stanley Cup Final – What we learned in Game 3
[ad_1]
So we’ve got a series after all.
A change of scenery and return home helped the Florida Panthers recapture their mojo as the No. 8 seed in the East got on the board with a 3-2 overtime win to pull within 2-1 of the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final.
Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk scored with 2:13 remaining in regulation to force overtime, then Carter Verhaeghe struck at 4:27 of the extra period to win it.
What did we learn in Game 3? What can the Panthers take forward to tighten things even further and how can the Golden Knights strengthen their position?
ESPN reporters Kristen Shilton, Ryan S. Clark, Greg Wyshynski and Emily Kaplan check in with their takeaways from Game 3:
Help from the back end
Florida absolutely needed its defense to start contributing offensively. Brandon Montour got things rolling with a quick strike in Game 3. Vegas had three goals from its blueliners going into the night while the Panthers had zero (and, well, the whole team had only four total). Montour delivered five goals in Florida’s come-from-behind first-round series win over Boston, but hadn’t lit the lamp since Game 1 of the second round against Toronto.
Montour said Wednesday he felt the chances were coming and would multiply from there when they did. The new dad made good on his word with the opening salvo in Game 3. It was what the Panthers needed on all fronts — their back end getting involved upfront, Montour appearing on the score sheet after a 10-game pointless drought and Florida grabbing an early lead. — Shilton
Bob is just fine
If there was a question mark about goaltending entering Game 3 — after Sergei Bobrovsky was pulled in Game 2, following his fourth goal allowed and eighth in the young series — Panthers coach Paul Maurice didn’t want to hear it. Maurice accused reporters of inventing stories because they had too much time on their hands with an additional off-day as the series shifted to Florida. He also reminded the media that 48 hours prior, many were…
[ad_2]
