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The Edmonton Oilers fell to the Florida Panthers in a lopsided 6-1 Game 3 affair on Monday night and are now headed into what feels like a must-win Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday after trailing the series 2-1.
The Oilers were outclassed and outmatched in every facet of the game, looking more like a lottery team against the dominant Panthers rather than the elite group they are. The Oilers appeared to be nothing more than a frustrated and defeated group in Game 3.
After such an ugly showing, the Oilers should be focused on what they need to do to even the series. Instead, they were focused on the officiating despite that they had many power-play opportunities of their own on Monday.
Several Oilers Comment on Officiating
Several Oilers and head coach Kris Knoblauch fielded questions from reporters after the game. Connor McDavid said all the right things, noting that he and his teammates haven’t been at their best in this series, but he believes it’s coming. Others, however, had other things to say.
Evander Kane took two penalties in the first period and ended the game with 16 penalty minutes, and instead of focusing on his and the team’s lousy performance, he was much more concerned about the officiating. “They seem to get away with it more than we do. It’s tough to find the line. They’re doing just as much as we are,” Kane said. “There seems to be a little more attention [from referees] to our group.”
Knoblauch, who is known for his calm demeanour, threw in a quick jab at the officials when commenting on the too-many-men penalty his team was assessed in the first period.
“The referees, I thought they did an outstanding job tonight,” Knoblauch began. “They even caught the too-many-men penalty in the first period, which was too many men. They caught us there. I just wish they had been calling it [the same way] in Game 2 in overtime.”
Knoblauch was referring to what some perceived as a missed too-many-men call on the Panthers in Game 2 shortly before their game-winning goal in double overtime to even the series at one apiece. While Knoblauch has a legitimate reason to gripe about the missed call, commenting on it at this point does nothing more than show his and the team’s frustration.
Instead of focusing on the officiating from games they can no longer control, the Oilers need must look ahead to Game 4 and what they can do to ensure this doesn’t turn out the same way it did a year ago, with the Panthers hoisting the Cup.
Oilers Have Battled Adversity Before
Whether it was 6-1 or a 1-0 final, the Panthers have picked up just one extra win in the series. It may be difficult for Oilers fans to find the positives right now, but this isn’t the first time they’ve been down in a series these playoffs.
The Oilers appeared to be dead in the water in the First Round versus the LA Kings, dropping Games 1 and 2 before storming back with four-straight victories to advance. They also trailed the Dallas Stars 1-0 following a collapse in Game 1 before again storming back with four straight wins to advance to the Stanley Cup Final. The Oilers are a resilient bunch and can easily get back in this series. But they need to stop focusing on the officiating and instead focus on what they can control moving forward.
More must-reads:
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Steven Stamkos linked to the Montreal Canadiens
Although the Canadiens are off to a great start this season, securing a second center remains a priority for the organization. Could Steven Stamkos fill that role in Montreal? Jeff Marek, on the Sekeres Price podcast, discussing the rumor that the forward is headed for Vancouver, believes that the Habs might also be interested in acquiring him to replace Patrik Laine. It might be a nice publicity stunt to bring a veteran like Stamkos to Montreal, but I’d be really surprised if the organization made that move. The problem is, the veteran has been a shadow of his former self since arriving in Nashville, and at 35, you really have to wonder if his best years are behind him. After a sub-par season in which Stamkos scored 53 points, including 27 goals, plus a minus-36 rating, the forward has just one goal, one assist and a minus-6 rating in thirteen games so far this year. The main thing we’d replace Laine with Stamkos is his problems on the ice. Not to mention that the former Lightning star still has more than two years left on his deal, worth an average of $8 million a year. Even if the Predators agreed to pay 50% of his salary, it’s too long and too expensive a contract for a player in decline. It’s not a gamble worth taking, as I don’t think the veteran can regain his former form at 35, and his acquisition is likely to be a problem for the organization to manage. And that’s even if Nashville were to ask for very little in return for Stamkos. What’s more, I’d be really surprised to see Kent Hughes do this deal. Acquiring a declining veteran of uncertain performance with a very bad contract is the antithesis of everything we’ve seen from the general manager since his arrival in Montreal. In Overtime – Lions defeat. – The Canes are one to watch. – He’s on fire! – Ouch! – MLB in a nutshell. – He’s really dominant. – What a kick!
Dolphins' Mike McDaniel Reveals Tua Tagovailoa Decision Before Bills Game
Through nine weeks of the NFL season, the Miami Dolphins have been one of the worst teams in the league. Following the team's 28-6 Week 9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night, the Dolphins have fallen to 2-7 on the year, and have seemingly already laid the groundwork for a total rebuild. One day after the loss, the Dolphins announced that they had fired general manager Chris Grier. A change in power at the GM role indicates that no one on the roster is safe moving forward, as whoever is brought in will have ties or allegiances with the current regime. One person who many believed could be at risk of losing his job is quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The Pro Bowl quarterback has been a shell of his former self this season, throwing for 1,779 yards with 15 touchdowns and 11 picks through nine games. For reference, Tagovailoa's previous career high in interceptions came in 2023, when he threw 14 in 17 games. Head coach Mike McDaniel benched Tagovailoa in the team's Oct. 19 loss to the Cleveland Browns after he threw three interceptions and lost a fumble, turning to rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers. While calls have been growing again for Tagovailoa to be sent to the bench once and for all, McDaniel confirmed that he's not entertaining that idea at this time. When speaking to the media on Monday ahead of the team's Week 10 game against the Buffalo Bills (6-2), McDaniels confirmed he is not anywhere close to making that decision at this time. "I am far from even going down that direction of would've, could've possible things," McDaniel said. "We have a football game against the Buffalo Bills that we are certain that Tua gives us the best chance to win and we have to approach our jobs with diligence. We have to execute and Tua knows that heavy is crown that of being a franchise quarterback." According to ESPN BET, the Bills have opened as 8.5-point favorites. While Miami looks to stay afloat on the season, the Bills are coming off of a monster win over Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, as they look to make a Super Bowl run this season. As for the Dolphins, they haven't beaten the Bills since 2022, and are 1-9 against them in their last 10. Tagovailoa has been far from spectacular this season, but is clearly being given some grace by McDaniel. With that being said, the Dolphins have a bye in a couple of weeks, and it does cause one to wonder if that is when the Dolphins would end up benching the former Alabama star if things don't turn around.
Commanders are reportedly ready to trade 2 Super Bowl veterans
The NFL trade deadline is 24 hours away, and the Washington Commanders have been thrust firmly into a seller position after falling to the Seattle Seahawks 38-14 to fall to 3-6 on the year. There was hope that a solid defensive performance against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8 would transfer to an even better showing against the Seahawks. Still, ultimately, the Commanders fell further than ever before, and with the loss of quarterback Jayden Daniels, there isn’t much outside hope left for the season, despite eight games remaining on the schedule. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Washington may not be punting on the season, but may be looking to move players as the deadline nears. The First Names to Surface “Sources: The Commanders have been open to trading several players, including OL Andrew Wylie and OL Nick Allegretti, both of whom bring extensive starting and playoff experience,” Schultz reported. “Wylie has valuable position flexibility, having played both guard spots and right tackle during his career.” Why These Players Make Sense Both Wylie and Allegretti arrived at the Commanders with Super Bowl experience, having been part of championship Kansas City Chiefs rosters in the past. Although both have played important roles on this team at times, they were eventually replaced by younger options. For Wylie, his replacement in the starting lineup came in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft when the team drafted right tackle Josh Conerly Jr. out of Oregon. Allegretti started all of last year at left guard for Washington but was moved to the right side to start the season while the team tried second-year lineman Brandon Coleman at his position after trading for left tackle Laremy Tunsil in the offseason. With Sam Cosmi returning from his knee injury, both Wylie and Allegretti now serve backup roles with versatility. Wylie has the ability to play as a tackle and guard. At the same time, Allegretti can also serve as a team’s center and was counted on at times last year to help set protections when center Tyler Biadasz was battling injury. The Potential Return Each player would likely return a future Day 3 draft pick to the Commanders, who currently have six picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, including two in the sixth round after trading away second and fourth round picks to the Houston Texans for Tunsil. Of course, there’s also a possibility Washington could look to trade player for player in this scenario, as Schultz’s report doesn’t state exclusively that the team is looking for draft capital. With eight games remaining, and a ‘never say die’ approach to the game, we wouldn’t be totally floored if the Commanders tried to bring in players at other positions to try and save their sinking season before it takes on too much water. The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday, November 4, at 4:00 p.m. ET.
Mike Vrabel responds to accusation that Patriots simulated Falcons' snap on key fourth-quarter play
With under two minutes remaining in regulation of Sunday's game between the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots, Atlanta quarterback Michael Penix Jr. committed a costly and curious intentional grounding penalty after he seemed not ready to receive the snap of the football. Following the 24-23 loss that dropped Atlanta to 3-5 on the season, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris accused Patriots players of "clapping" to simulate Penix asking for the ball to be snapped. During a Monday appearance on Boston sports radio station WEEI, first-year New England head coach Mike Vrabel responded to Morris' comments. Mike Vrabel "didn't see" Patriots players simulating the snap "I mean, I didn't see anything," Vrabel said, per Tom Carroll of Audacy. "Like, is that fake? I don’t know. Quarterbacks, when they want the ball, it’s like [clap] [clap] [clap] [clap]. I mean, I didn’t see anybody doing that. And then, like, we don’t do the clap…I can see, like, when the quarterback, like it’s the silent count, it’s like [softer claps], but I didn’t see anybody do that." The CBS broadcast of Sunday's contest didn't show a single New England player clapping before the ball was snapped for what became the intentional grounding play. As Marc Raimondi of ESPN noted, a team guilty of simulating an offense's snap count or snap is supposed to receive a 15-yard penalty. No flag was thrown before the ball left Penix's hand, and the Falcons eventually had to punt on fourth down of that late drive. From there, New England was able to run the clock out. Mike Vrabel names latest Patriots-related controversy The Patriots were previously part of "Spygate" and "Deflategate" scandals. On Monday, Vrabel named the latest alleged New England controversy. "'Clapgate,'" Vrabel added during the segment. "That was new. I didn't see that. I just know - and maybe that's a testament to our fans. You know what I mean? It got loud, and I could hear the energy, and so thank them for that. But that's a good point. I did not - I didn't see anything, and I’ll let you guys go investigate." The 7-2 Patriots next play at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2) on Nov. 9. Perhaps it's fair to wonder what New England players will and/or won't try to get away with at Raymond James Stadium during that Sunday afternoon matchup.
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