Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov was sidelined for the end of Game 2 of the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Finals following a questionable hit from Edmonton forward Leon Draisaitl. Despite their leader’s absence from the bench, Florida roared to a 4-1 win to claim the 2-0 series lead as the scene shifted to Canada for tonight’s Game 3.
In a less hostile environment, Edmonton looks to accomplish a feat that Oilers teams have rarely pulled off. The only time the Oilers franchise has railed from an 0-2 series deficit to win a series was in 2006 during the second-round matchup against San Jose.
Game 3 in the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Finals will represent the 55th time an NHL team enters the third contest trailing by two games. Those teams have only claimed the Stanley Cup 5 times representing a sub-10% success rate.
Barkov Returns For Game 3 of 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Finals
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After being knocked out before the end of Game 2, Florida’s first-line center and captain Aleksander Barkov was back on the ice in preparation for the game. There was concern among Florida Panthers fans regarding a concussion due to the nature of the hit being a jarring elbow to the jaw.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice indicated the mood was uncertain with injury question marks surrounding his captain.
“It’s the drive of my mood, right?” Maurice said. “You go through that fear. … Nobody wants to lose their captain. And you don’t know if you have or not for a block of time, and then you find out there’s a good chance you’re not going to (lose him), and you’re in a much better mood.”
The bench boss is in a better mood because Barkov is tied with Matthew Tkachuk in postseason points with 19 for Florida. Barkov has also been a critical element in limiting superstar Connor McDavid to just one assist through the first two games of the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Finals.
Evan Almighty to the Rescue for Florida Panthers
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During every substantial NHL postseason run, role players often step up in amazing ways. No disrespect intended to Ville Leino but his 21-point outburst during the 2010 Philadelphia Flyers postseason is the best personal example I’ve seen with my own eyes.
Evan Rodrigues has that Leino-vibe to me during this 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Finals run for Florida. His 11 postseason points more than double his prior highest output of five points. The three goals in the Finals match what Leino scored against Chicago in the 2010 loss for Philly.
Coach Maurice says Rodrigues deserves all the credit for his recent successes on the ice.
“Over all the minutes you play, your elite players have to be great all the time,” he said. “But there’s going to be a block of time for each player on your roster, and he will be the difference in that block of time for whether you win or lose. And in a couple games in these playoffs, it’s been Evan’s time, and he’s made the most of it.”
Florida Panthers Spent Extra Time at Home Before Game 3
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The record-setting distance between Edmonton and Florida added an extra travel day to the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Finals travel schedule. For the Panthers, it meant the team stayed home in the comfortable confines of South Florida for another 24 hours before jetting off North to Canada.
Once again, we turn to Coach Maurice who thinks the NHL nailed the schedule for both teams.
“It makes it fair, and at the end of the day that’s surely what this should be. Both teams work so hard to get here, it should be a really even playing field with no real disadvantage in the logistics of how the series is run. So, there shouldn’t be two days for one team, but only one day for the other when they come back. This is right, it’s the way it should be.”
The first final-round game since 2006 in Edmonton takes place tonight from Rogers Place for Game 3 of the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Finals at 8 pm EST.
About The Author
Christopher Babos is a genuine sports & entertainment journalist with diverse credentials in writing, broadcasting, and digital media. He can be located on X for real-time takes (@CBabosWrites). With various roles in the sports industry over two decades, Chris can speak with authority on the topics he covers.
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