3 Florida Panthers players who disappointed in Game 3 loss to New York Rangers

The Florida Panthers dropped a disappointing Game 3 Sunday against the New York Rangers. The Panthers could not complete the comeback, losing 5-4 in overtime.

With the loss at home, the Florida Panthers are now in a 2-1 hole with Game 4 looming. As the Panthers get set for their next matchup at home against the Rangers, it’s worth looking into three players who let the Panthers down.

Here are three players who disappointed for the Panthers in Game 3.

3 Florida Panthers players who disappointed in Game 3

#1: Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Ekman-Larsson was one of the culprits behind the Alex Wennberg goal in overtime. He and partner Dmitry Kulikov failed to cover Wennberg, leaving the Rangers center wide open in front of Sergei Bobrovsky.

It’s fair to assume that Bobrovsky would have made the save on the Ryan Lindgren point shot. However, Wennberg’s deflection put the puck past Bobrovsky.

The issue with this play is that none of the Florida Panthers players on the ice picked up Wennberg. Ekman-Larsson tried to get back into the play, but he was far too slow. By the time he arrived at the front of the net, Wennberg was already celebrating the goal.

It’s fair to spread the blame across every player on the ice, but Ekman-Larsson’s slow reaction stands out as the most disappointing play in Game 3.

#2: Sam Bennett

Sam Bennett went quiet in Game 3. He ended the contest a minus-1, with a single shot on goal. The Florida Panthers expect more from their third-line center, especially considering his physical presence.

In total, Bennett played 18:30 minutes, with over two of those minutes on the powerplay. However, he failed to become the physical presence the Panthers need while generating offense that leads to depth scoring.

The Panthers will need more from their third-line center as the series progresses. While the Panthers have been getting reliable scoring from their top six, the bottom six needs to chip in, particularly with games going into overtime.

#3: Kevin Stenlund

The Panthers’ fourth line was essentially non-existent during the game. Coach Paul Maurice shortened his bench late in the game, leaving Kevin Stenlund with over nine minutes of ice time.

Similarly, linemates Nick Cousins and Ryan Lomberg played just under eight minutes. It’s worth pointing out that the Florida Panthers’ fourth line likes to grind out each shift. They provide a strong work ethic that helps change the pace of the game.

The issue lies in that the fourth line must play more reliable minutes in order to pressure off Florida’s top six.

Ultimately, Stenlund and his linemates were a disappointment. Stenlund did not register a shot of goal and ended with a minus-1 rating.