'He's been an animal this whole playoffs": Sam Bennett's playoff brilliance puts Florida Panthers in commanding Stanley Cup Final lead
Sam Bennett is making a serious case for the Conn Smythe Trophy this postseason, and Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final proved why. The Florida Panthers forward ignited the crowd with one of the most memorable sequences of the playoffs — delivering a punishing hit in the defensive zone, and then finishing the play at the other end with a composed breakaway goal.
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Sam Bennett continues record-setting postseason with physical dominance and clutch scoring
The play not only brought fans to their feet but also gave the Florida Panthers a 4-1 lead in a game they would go on to dominate, defeating the Edmonton Oilers 6-1. Sam Bennett's performance continues to drive Florida's push toward back-to-back Stanley Cup titles.
The second period shift in Game 3 started when Sam Bennett tied Edmonton Oilers forward Vasily Podkolzin, sending him crashing to the ice. Bennett then took a breakaway pass from Eetu Luostarinen a few seconds later and scored with clinical precision.
His fist pump followed by an embrace with teammate Matthew Tkachuk captured the raw emotion of the play.
'He's been an animal this whole playoffs. He's built for this time of year,' said Brad Marchand. 'Just how competitive he is and how intense. Obviously you see the physicality piece. That shift was a perfect example of his game. He blows two guys up and then somehow leads the rush after that and scores a beautiful goal.'
'He's been incredible,' said Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov. 'Obviously he's scoring goals, but he's doing so much more other stuff. He's carrying the puck in the neutral zone. He's making plays. He's defending well. He's just unreal right now.'
Matthew Tkachuk called Bennett's Game 3 goal 'the perfect Benny goal,' crediting Luostarinen's shot block and Bennett's awareness to capitalize.
Free agency looms, but Sam Bennett stays locked in on championship run
Sam Bennett is set to become a free agent at season's end, but he's not letting contract talk interfere with his play.
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Panthers head coach Paul Maurice joked during a TV interview, 'Horrible attitude, I think he's got bubonic plague. Dengue fever. He's got a whole bunch of things. We're not sure he can be cured.'
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Bennett's rise this postseason isn't just a feel-good story — it's a reminder of how playoff hockey rewards the relentless. With Florida now two wins from a second straight Stanley Cup, there's no doubt that Bennett's name is front and center in the playoff MVP conversation.
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