Cote: Florida Panthers blow lead & command of Stanley Cup Final in 5-4 OT loss to Edmonton

Miami Herald

a day ago

Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice carved out a moment for emotion in the maelstrom of a Stanley Cup Final the other day as his team prepared for Game 4 Thursday night.
Father's Day came up.
'He's the guy who got me into the game. Taught me how to skate,' said Maurice, 58. 'Dad turns 87 this year. My Mom is 85. They watch hockey every night. My sons have even a greater love for the game than I do, and now I get to share the game with them -- and that is what I value by far more than anything else.'
You know what might rank as a close second to family?
A second straight Stanley Cup Final championship.
That rose into clear view Thursday night. A prize not yet accomplished, but locked into focus. Close enough to feel.
And then it disappeared.
Florida squandered a 3-0 lead only to lose in overtime Thursday night at home on a Leon Draisaitl goal that gave Edmonton a 5-4 victory and a 2-2 tie in the Cup Final series.
The Panthers had their own miracle on ice on Sam Reinhart's sharp-angle goal from the left of the goal found its way inside the net with 19.5 seconds left in regulation as a crowd ready to file out dejected erupted with sonic joy. Matthew Tkachuk's pass fed Reinhart, and he dined sumptuously.
The TNT camera showed superstar guest-fan Taylor Swift beside Travis Kelce in a suite with her familiar look of disbelief. She had company.
It was the third sudden death overtime in four Final games.
But Draisaitl's OT goal sent the home crowd home dejected after all.
Both of the Panthers losses thus far have been painful to see. In Game 1 Florida failed to protect a 3-1 lead and lost in overtime. This collapse was worse. Twice now as they chase a repeat title, the champions' killer instinct has been lacking as the Oilers' fight and resolve has shone through.
Thursday's killer was Jake Walman's tie-breaking goal with 6:24 to play. Florida could not answer, until Reinhart's miracle shot.
Then came Draisaitl's crowd silencer.
More than a game was lost on this night. The Panthers' clear path to another Cup was, too.
Protect that early 3-0 lead and the Cats are holding a commanding 3-1 series lead today, with an ability to win the Cup on Edmonton ice in Game 5 Saturday, or back in Sunrise in Game 6. The Panthers are chasing a second straight title run against the Oilers that would be only South Florida sports' third-ever back-to-back pro championships, after the Miami Dolphins in 1972-73 and the Heat in 2012-13.
Teams with a 3-1 series lead in NHL postseason history go on to win 91 percent of the time, and it's slightly higher in the Final.
That's how close Florida was.
The dynasty and the dying dream -- both were close ... until they weren't.
The dynasty talk you could have almost heard at 3-1 would have followed Florida's consecutive titles like perfume.
And the dying dream if down 3-1 would be chasing Edmonton -- and especially superstar Connor McDavid. The Oilers are after that franchise's first crown since 1990, and Canada's first Cup since '93. McDavid -- McJesus, the next-Gretzky, consensus best player in the NHL -- is still missing the one big prize that has eluded him.
It got closer for him Thursday, just as the Panthers' repeat title got further away, and harder to make happen.
Maurice had said after Thursday's morning skate, 'I think this will be the most disciplined game of the series,' after 17 penalties in Game 3 including 11 awarded to Florida and three cashed for goals.
The coach was partly right. The Cats had discipline. The Oilers were off the rails again, with three first-period penalties turned into a pair of goals for the Panthers, both by Matthew Tkachuk.
Mid-period Tkachuk's snap shot seconds into a 5-on-3 advantage made the horn blast at 1-0, assisted by Barkov.
Five minutes later it was 2-0 on another Tkachuk power-play score, this one aided by Sam Reinhart and Barkov.
There had been speculation Tkachuk still wasn't 100 percent after injuring himself in the 4 Nations Cup and missing several weeks. That speculation was jettisoned to the past tense Thursday.
The 3-0 cushion came with 41.7 seconds left in the first, even strength, as Carter Verhaeghe dodged being plowed into the boards and sent a beautiful feed from behind the net to a charging Anton Lundell with the perfect finish.
That made it a 9-1 advantage for Florida in the past four periods as the Oilers were rocked and reeling ... but not finished.
Edmonton changed goaltenders between periods and stormed to a 3-3- tie in a second period that was the Cats' turn to get a bit sloppy, and the Oilers' turn to dominate.
Sam Bennett in the penalty box for slashing led to a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins power-play goal to shave the Oilers deficit to 3-1 three minutes into the second.
Dmitry Kulikov's holding penalty soon after gifted Edmonton another advantage, but the Panthers were good on the kill.
Edmonton drew within 3-2 when Darnell Nurse went top-shelf over Bobrovsky's left shoulder, then tied it 3-3 later in the second on a Vasily Podkolzin backhander as the home crowd went stunned-quiet.
Then came Walman's late, apparent winning goal for Edmonton.
Wait. Then came Reinhart's miracle with a tick under 20 seconds left in regulation.
Wait again. The final shot, the final word on the night, belonged to Leon Draisaitl.
Now the Panthers, tied 2-2, prepare to fly soon to Edmonton for Game 5.
For Florida, the long flight just got longer.