What I Loved From Game 3 Of The Stanley Cup Final
My personal highlights as Florida shows some life...
Now we’ve got ourselves a series.
For a minute it looked like we were in danger of seeing the 2023 Stanley Cup Final end in a sweep, given how dominant the Vegas Golden Knights were in Games 1 and 2.
Thankfully, the Hockey Gods decided to show us some mercy by ensuring that the Florida Panthers extended this series to at least five games by winning Game 3 in Overtime thanks to a Carter Verhaeghe goal.
Now, it is important to remember that the Golden Knights looked like an absolute juggernaut again in Game 3, and only some stellar goaltending has prevented them from being able to close this series out very quickly on Saturday night.
But if there’s anything we’ve learnt about this Panthers team throughout this postseason it is that they are tough and they do not go down without a fight. They were always going to make this series a little bit interesting.*
*Even if I do think Vegas will go on to get the job done in five games. They just wanted to win the Stanley Cup on home ice. And who can blame them - that would be one hell of a party.
Anyway, here are some of my favorite takeaways from Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final…
He Is Risen
Matthew Tkachuk did his best Undertaker impression in Game 3.
Both literally and figuratively.
Having racked up more Game Misconduct penalties (3) than he did points (1) in Games 1 and 2 combined, the Panthers really needed their game-changer to step up and make a difference in Game 3.
It didn’t exactly start out well, however.
Tkachuk was absolutely laid out by Vegas’ Keegan Kolesar in open ice, which led to Tkachuk stumbling back to the locker room.
He wasn’t seen for the rest of the first period and, even after making his way back to the bench during the second period, there was no guarantee that we would see the forward on the ice again for the remainder of the game.
However, just like the Undertaker, Tkachuk would rise from the dead and he would go on to shift the entire momentum of Game 3. And perhaps of the series.
With 2:13 remaining and the goalie pulled, Tkachuk came up clutch in the biggest way possible by tucking the puck away on the doorstep to send the game to Overtime.
It was Tkachuk’s 11th goal of the postseason - a franchise record for most goals in a single postseason - and he is also now tied for the most points in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with 24.
It won’t surprise you either, then, that Tkachuk had his fingerprints all over the game-winner for Florida too. He provided a masterclass in route running to get to the front of the net and provide a stellar screen for Carter Verhaeghe to beat Adin Hill with what was a low-quality chance.
You can make a compelling argument that, if not for Tkachuk’s screen, Hill saves that shot with ease.
And that sums up Tkachuk in this postseason. He has been Captain Clutch for Florida, scoring four game-winning goals, three of which came in Overtime, and then putting his team on his back in Game 3 to not only force Overtime but to win the game and claw back a huge, huge lifeline in this series.
And therein lies the rub. If the Panthers are to stand any chance of coming right back and going on to win the Stanley Cup, they need Tkachuk on the ice at all times. Through the first two games of this series, he played a total of 34.5 minutes while taking 36 PIMs. That isn’t a recipe for success. But, then in Game 3, Tkachuk didn’t take any penalties and instead tallied a goal and an assist for two points.
That’s the version of Matthew Tkachuk the Florida Panthers need if they are to cap off a fairytale run with a ring.
Playoff Bob Is Back
Second behind Matthew Tkachuk in why the Florida Panthers are here is no doubt Sergei Bobrovsky.
The veteran goaltender, with a reputation for being great in the regular season but then collapsing in the Playoffs, flipped that narrative this year by going 8-1 with a stellar 1.51 Goals-Against Average and a .954 Save Percentage to go along with one shutout.
However, Bobrovsky wasn’t the same goalie in Games 1 and 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, allowing five goals on 33 shots in Game 1 before being chased out of the contest in Game 2 after being shelled for four goals on just 13 shots. He allowed a total of eight goals on 46 shots in the two games combined.
Vegas discovered a notable chink in Bobrovsky’s armor by utilizing screens and taking full advantage of Florida’s breakdowns in the defensive zone on rush chances. All of a sudden, one of the Panthers’ greatest strengths became their biggest weakness overnight.
But, just as the Panthers were much improved as a collective unit, Bobrovsky also found his game again on Thursday and he absolutely stood on his head at times to help give Florida a substantial lifeline in this series.
Bobrovsky stopped 25 of the 27 shots he faced, including 12 of 13 in the second period with the Knights throwing everything at the net in order to try and extend their lead. Bobrovsky stood firm, though, and he made a slew of big saves at clutch moments, including an absolute beauty to rob Brett Howden.
As much as the Panthers need Tkachuk to be on the ice and driving the offense, they also need Sergei Bobrovsky to be as unstoppable as he was in Game 3. If he can be the goalie he was on Thursday and not the one he was in Games 1 and 2, then anything could be possible for this Florida team.
Eichel For Conn Smythe
I’ve said it before and I’ll keep on saying it - Jack Eichel should be the Conn Smythe Trophy winner if the Vegas Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup.
Of course, Jonathan Marchessault is probably the favorite at the moment given he’s been on an absolute tear. He is, after all, just the third player in the last 35 years to score in each of the first three games of the Stanley Cup Final.
However, as good as Marchessault has been, Eichel has been elite throughout this postseason and it is easy to forget he’s never been here before. Yeah, that’s right, the forward is currently experiencing his first taste of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Not that you would think it - he looks like a seasoned postseason veteran out there.
Eichel currently has 23 points (6 G, 17 A) - tied with Marchessault for the lead on the Knights - and he has also morphed into a high-end two-way center that makes a sizeable impact in all three zones.
He’s logging 19:17 of total ice time, he has 26 blocks, 23 hits and 17 Takeaways. He laid a huge, textbook hit on Colin White in Game 3 too, highlighting his two-way ability. Eichel is stepping up to make big plays in clutch moments and his playmaking ability has been a massive difference-maker throughout these Playoffs. I mean, just look at this filthy dish to set up Marchessault for Vegas’ second goal in Game 3.
It was sublime.
Granted, the one mark against Eichel is that he only has six goals in the postseason and he’s yet to score in this series. That could be enough to swing it in Marchessault’s favor.
But, for me, if the Golden Knights are able to get the job done, then Eichel should be walking away with the Conn Smythe Trophy. He’s been a consistent force throughout the postseason and his fingerprints can be found all over the success Vegas have enjoyed up to this point.
