Oilers Raise Concerns About Officiating and Panthers' Actions on Stuart Skinner
Oilers Raise Concerns About Officiating and Panthers' Actions on Stuart Skinner originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
As the Stanley Cup Final heads to Florida tied 1-1, frustration is growing in the Edmonton Oilers' camp over the Panthers' repeated contact with goaltender Stuart Skinner.
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After two incidents involving Florida forward Sam Bennett in the crease, Edmonton's defensemen are openly questioning how much physicality is too much and where the NHL will set the line.
Bennett comes with a track record this postseason after elbowing Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz in Game 1 of the second round, knocking him out of the playoffs with a concussion.
Bennett was involved in collisions with Skinner in Games 1 and 2 of the Stanley Cup Final. The Game 1 play resulted in a Florida goal, which Edmonton challenged unsuccessfully. While Bennett received a goalie interference penalty in Game 2, the Oilers still feel the standards remain unclear.
"You can accidentally drop into (Skinner), but, at one point, enough's got to be enough," Mattias Ekholm said. "I was very surprised the goal in Game 1 stood.
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"But it was good on the refs that they called Bennett on that play (in Game 2)."
Skinner briefly required medical attention after the Game 2 collision but was able to finish the game, and the Oilers didn't retaliate.
"Being a leader is understanding the situation," Ekholm said about the lack of a physical response by the Oilers. "Not doing that — we actually scored on that power play, which we probably wouldn't have on a four-on-four situation.
"It's a fine line. We don't want to take punishment from anybody. I'm not saying that. But you've got to read the situation and be cognizant of, 'Has there been a penalty called? Has there not? What can help our team the most?'"
Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett collides with Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm and goaltender Stuart Skinner.Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images
Evan Bouchard also acknowledged the challenges of policing the crease while avoiding penalties themselves.
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"There's definitely a fine line," Bouchard said. "They definitely do like to teeter with it."
Bennett, meanwhile, didn't believe the Game 2 penalty against him was the right call.
'I was pushed, and then I think the goalie kicked out my heel,' Bennett said. 'So, I didn't agree with that one, but I'll move on from that.'
Game 3 begins at 8 p.m. ET Monday in Sunrise, Florida.
Related: Sam Bennett's Two-Word Reaction to Stuart Skinner Penalty Question
Related: Oilers Coach Sends Clear Message on Stuart Skinner After Game 2 Loss
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
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