Stanley Cup Playoffs Day 23: Bennett causes more controversy as Panthers rally to take 3-1 series lead

While the game could have upped the drama even more if the Panthers had scored the go-ahead goal on the power play from the failed review challenge, they unfortunately didn’t. But that didn’t seem to matter, as Aleksander Barkov scored a couple of minutes after that to take the 3-2 lead. That goal held as the final score, and the Panthers now head back to Florida with a 3-1 series lead and a chance to move on the Eastern Conference Final. Lundell and Evan Rodrigues both had two points on the night, while Swayman had an excellent night in spite of the loss by stopping 38 of 41 shots.

Boeser, Lindholm score twice as Canucks take 2-1 series lead

After the overtime win in Game 2, the Edmonton Oilers built on their momentum with an early goal in Game 3. To no one’s surprise, it came on the power play, as Evander Kane set up a pinching Mattias Ekholm to give the Oilers the 1-0 lead.

But the Vancouver Canucks got the better of them in the period by the time 20 minutes was up. Brock Boeser appeared to not only tie the game or give the Canucks the lead, but he had a natural hat trick over the course of about 10 minutes to make it 3-1 Vancouver in the first. The first goal was eventually credited to Elias Lindholm due to a deflection, thus breaking Boeser’s hat trick, but the Canucks were still looking good after the first period.

The Oilers attempted a comeback in the second, first with a Corey Perry attempt that was immediately called a no-goal after Arturs Silovs made a goal line save, and then confirmed as such after review. However, the lead was cut in half for real a couple minutes later when Leon Draisaitl scored on the power play goal.

But before they could reach the second intermission, the Canucks had the two goal lead back with Lindholm scoring his second of the night. The Oilers didn’t make a goalie change immediately after the goal, but Stuart Skinner did find himself on the bench at the expense of Calvin Pickard to start the third after allowing four goals on 15 shots.

Evan Bouchard scored to make it a one-goal game late in the third period, but the Oilers couldn’t complete the comeback. The Canucks took the game 4-3, and now take a 2-1 lead in the series. Neither Boeser or Lindholm could complete the hat trick, but Boeser had an additional assist on Lindholm’s first goal for a three-point night, while Silovs was stellar with 42 saves on 45 shots in the win.