Stanley Cup Final Recap – June 9, 2025 – 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.

• 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.

• The Panthers tied the third-highest goal total by defensemen in a single postseason (also 2024 Oilers, 2022 Avalanche & 1988 Bruins w/ 18). They trail the 2010 Blackhawks (20), 2014 Kings (19), 1994 Rangers (19), 1985 Oilers (19) and 1981 Islanders (19).
• 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.

Oilers’ Walman Fined for Roughing, Unsportsmanlike Conduct

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Jake Walman has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for roughing Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk during Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final in Florida on Monday, June 9, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today. The incident occurred at 14:44 of the third period. Walman was assessed a pair of minor penalties for roughing as well as a minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Walman also has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for unsportsmanlike conduct for an incident involving Florida’s bench during Monday’s Game 3. That incident occurred at 16:49 of the second period. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.