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Nate Schmidt and Carter Verhaeghe each netted goals in the third period, while Anton Lundell contributed a goal and two assists, leading the Florida Panthers to a 4-3 victory against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday evening.
Following the game, Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch expressed disappointment in some players’ performances, stating, “We need everybody and I felt that there were a few passengers. There were some guys that just didn’t put in the effort that we needed. But, for the most part, I think most of the guys did pretty much everything they could.”
Uvis Balinskis also found the back of the net for Florida, enabling the team to leapfrog Toronto and claim first place in the Atlantic Division.
For the Oilers, Leon Draisaitl recorded his 44th goal of the season, with Brett Kulak and Zach Hyman adding goals to the tally.
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This matchup marked Edmonton’s first visit to the Panthers’ arena since June 24, 2024, when Florida triumphed over the Oilers 2-1 in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final. Earlier this season, the Panthers had already claimed victory in their first encounter, winning 6-5 at Edmonton on December 16.
Both teams retained 12 players from their lineups used in the Stanley Cup final, highlighting the continuity and rivalry between the franchises.
Takeaways
Oilers: The loss extends Edmonton’s losing streak to five games, marking their longest run of defeats since December 2021 when they dropped six consecutive matches. Throughout this losing stretch, the Oilers have allowed four or more goals in each game.
Panthers: Florida played without star forward Matthew Tkachuk, who is sidelined due to a lower-body injury sustained during the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. Panthers coach Paul Maurice noted, “He’s out near-term, we know that. We’re just making sure that we get … different ideas on treatment plans.”
Key moment
Despite Hyman’s goal narrowing the score to 4-3 with 3:35 remaining, the Oilers’ hopes for a comeback were dampened when they committed two penalties in the subsequent 3:21.
Key stat
Draisaitl’s tally marked his 316th goal over the past seven seasons, surpassing Toronto’s Auston Matthews, and establishing him as the leading goal scorer in the league during that period. Matthews and the Maple Leafs are set to face off against the New York Rangers on Friday.
Up next
Edmonton will wrap up a five-game road trip against Carolina on Saturday, while Florida will host the Calgary Flames. This match will mark Ryan Lomberg’s return to Sunrise after playing a crucial role in helping the Panthers secure the championship last season.
Source
globalnews.ca