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Oilers-Panthers Line Brawl Instigator Breaks Silence on Officiating Bias

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated Jun 11, 2025 8:04 AM ET

The Edmonton Oilers fell 6–1 to the Florida Panthers in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday, a contest that spiraled into one of the most chaotic in recent history.

By the end of the night, both teams had combined for 140 penalty minutes — the fourth-most in a single finals game — and Edmonton accounted for 85 of them.

Oilers forward Trent Frederic, whose cross-check on Sam Bennett's arm sparked a third-period line brawl, spoke Tuesday about the incident and the wider issue of officiating standards.

A reporter asked Frederic on Tuesday about his thoughts on other Oilers players' comments, saying Panthers players get away with more than he does, and what he can do about that.

"Just getting back to our game & having fun with it."

Trent Frederic talks about the fast-paced #Oilers practice today after last night's loss as they prepare for Game 4 on Thursday.@Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/8plKJGk0LA
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) June 10, 2025

“I don’t know. Just play. Just play in the whistles,” Frederic said. “We’re biased, right? Everyone who plays against other teams is biased.

"So it’s kind of hard to—you can say that all you want, but if you’re on the other team, I’m sure you’re saying the same thing.”

Frederic received a minor for the cross-check and a 10-minute misconduct.

The Oilers were called for 21 penalties overall, including 16 in the third period alone. Florida received 14 penalties totaling 55 minutes.

Oilers forward Evander Kane, who also received a misconduct and two minors during the game before getting ejected, loudly criticized what he saw as an uneven standard.

“They seem to get away with it more than we do,” Kane said. “It’s tough to find the line. They’re doing just as much stuff as we are. There seems to be a little bit more attention on our group.”

Meanwhile, the NHL announced on Tuesday that Oilers defenseman Jake Walman has been fined $10,000 total for unsportsmanlike conduct, including an incident where he sprayed water on the Florida bench.

Game 4 is scheduled for Thursday night at Amerant Bank Arena, with the Panthers leading the series 2–1.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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