Oilers HC Kris Knoblauch takes a sly dig at referees after chaotic officiating in Game 3 of Stanley Cup Final

The Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers got out of control in Game 3. Emotions ran high midway through the third period. The Panthers had a 5–1 lead, and the situation quickly turned into a fight. Oilers forward Trent Frederic went after Florida’s Sam Bennett, starting a big fight.

All 10 players on the ice got involved in the scrum. Frederic and Bennett wrestled on the ice while an official tried to separate them. The referees worked hard to stop the fighting and restore order.

Officials eventually managed the situation, handing out several penalties. Frederic, Bennett, Darnell Nurse, and Jonah Gadjovich were all ejected from the game. Nurse and Gadjovich had also fought during the brawl. Frederic was given an instigator penalty, which gave the Panthers a power play.

The fighting did not stop after the big scrum. Players took cheap shots, and more game misconducts followed.

After the game, Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch made a calm but pointed comment about the referees.

"I think the referees did an outstanding job tonight and they even caught the too many men penalty in the first, which was too many men... I just wish they had been calling it in Game 2 in overtime."

Knoblauch was referring to a missed call in the second overtime of Game 2 when Edmonton’s Viktor Arvidsson was impeded by a sixth Florida skater, but the referees let it go.

Game 4 will be played on Thursday night at Amerant Bank Arena.

Connor McDavid calls Game 3 loss a low point as Oilers struggle with penalties

The Edmonton Oilers faced a tough 6-1 loss to the Florida Panthers in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, falling 2-1 behind in the series. The Oilers struggled with penalties, giving the Panthers 11 power plays, which they used well.

Connor McDavid reflected on the loss, saying the penalties early in the game made it hard for them to keep up.

"I thought when the game's out of hand you're going to see that stuff. I don't think it was necessarily that way early on while we were still playing. When we get into garbage time, those things happen," McDavid said.

He accepted the rough moments that happened, but called it a disappointing point in their playoff run.

"This is a low point. Yeah, disappointed obviously. Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals, you'd like to play better," McDavid added.

McDavid admitted the team should have performed better in such an important game of the Stanley Cup Final.