Panthers vs. Oilers Game 3 – Pregame stats, facts and notes – Hockey Writers – NHL News

The Florida Panthers are on their way to a comfortable 2-0 series lead over the Edmonton Oilers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals. Before each team tries to win the all-important Game 3, let's take a look at some stats, facts, and game notes.

Related: Proposed Lineup for Oilers vs Panthers – Stanley Cup Final Game 3

In Stanley Cup Finals history, there have been 15 overtimes in Game 3. The last time this happened was in the 2023 series between the Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights—Carter Verhaeghe scored the game-winner. Extending beyond Game 3s, 2024 would be the sixth consecutive Finals to include at least one overtime contest.

From 1999 to 2023, none of the Stanley Cup Finals resulted in a sweep—the last 24 series. 18 of those (75 percent) required six or more contests.

If the Oilers win at least one game, it will mark the 14th of 15 streaks that have not resulted in a sweep in these contests. This will be the first time since the expansion era began in the 1967-68 season that there have been fewer than two best-of-seven sweeps in consecutive playoff seasons—the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs had just one sweep, too. .

When it comes to other people, Sam Bennett would become the third player in Panthers history to have a postseason point streak of six or more games. Only Dave Lowry and teammate Matthew Tkachuk have ever reached this point—neither of them has lasted eight games.

On their home ice at Rogers Place, the Oilers have a 6-3 record and are averaging 4.00 goals per game in these contests. They are just the fifth team in the last 30 years to average this many goals per game at home in a single-season run among teams with seven or more games played in total. The 2023 Golden Knights, 2022 Colorado Avalanche, 1997 Avalanche, and 1996 Avalanche are the only teams to record home ice goals in this era.

In the Oilers' last 320 playoff games, there was only one run in which they were held to one or zero goals in three straight contests—they went four games without scoring at least two goals from 1998 to 1999. they went all-in in Game 1 of this series and scored just once in Game 2, they are in danger of hitting this number again.

Related: 2024 Stanley Cup Final Hub

In 54 best-of-seven Cup Final series with one team leading 2-0, 49 teams have gone on to win the Stanley Cup. With a 90.7 percent streak win rate, the Panthers are in good hands. Only the 2011 Boston Bruins, 1971 Montreal Canadiens, 1966 Canadiens, and 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs have ever won the feat.

Teams with 2-0 deficits in best-of-seven Stanley Cup Finals series have a 26-28 record in Game 3s. However, a club facing a 2-0 deficit in the Stanley Cup Finals has won Game 3 in 11 of its last 14 contests (78.6 percent winning rate).

Of the 28 teams that have taken a 3-0 lead in the Stanley Cup Finals, only one has lost. In 1942, the Detroit Red Wings were bounced back by the Maple Leafs. In the past 24 postseasons, only three teams have taken a 3-0 series lead in the finals—the 2021 Tampa Bay Lightning, the 2014 Los Angeles Kings, and the 2012 Kings.

Stats and facts courtesy of NHL PR