EDMONTON – It doesn’t matter how their very own season has gone this yr, the Florida Panthers weren’t going to overlook out on an opportunity to trigger the Edmonton Oilers additional distress.
Sergei Bobrovsky recorded 21 saves to earn his fourth shutout of the season and 53rd of his profession because the Panthers continued to plague Edmonton, rising with a 4-0 victory over the Oilers on Thursday in a rematch of the final two Stanley Cup finals — each received by Florida.
“All of us keep in mind one another very nicely throughout the two years we’ve been taking part in in opposition to one another and spending a number of time on this constructing, so being again offers you just a little additional motivation and additional enhance,” stated Anton Lundell, considered one of Florida’s purpose scorers.
Cole Reinhardt, A.J. Greer and Carter Verhaeghe had the opposite objectives for the injury-riddled Panthers (34-31-3), who snapped a two-game dropping skid.
Sam Bennett, Evan Rodrigues and Michael Benning had two assists every.
Benning, taken by Florida within the fourth spherical (ninety fifth total) of the 2020 Entry Draft, was taking part in in simply his fourth profession NHL sport. The 24-year-old Edmonton-area native defenceman already has three factors.
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“It was a tough and easy sport, we caught to our strengths,” he stated. “I’ve solely been right here a short while, but it surely was enjoyable to be part of it and maintain it going. A bit of additional pleasure, I received some family and friends within the constructing, which is superior.”
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The Panthers are nearly sure to overlook the playoffs and an opportunity to defend their back-to-back titles.
“I believe each groups have suffered the identical challenges over the past three years,” stated Florida head coach Paul Maurice. “We’ve all had lengthy runs, even once we went to the (2022-23) last, they went to the convention last that yr.
“Discovering that juice within the common season is an actual, actual problem most likely proper now extra so for us than them with the gamers which are out, and likewise we’re to this point out of the playoffs now. However I believe we had the juice tonight and had the benefit there.”
Florida has been hit onerous by accidents all season lengthy with probably the most man-games misplaced within the league together with many prolonged ones to key gamers. Amongst these out of the lineup on Thursday had been Aleksander Barkov, Brad Marchand and Sam Reinhart. Solely defenceman Gustav Forsling has managed to seem in all 68 video games this season.
On the Oilers aspect of the ledger, it was not solely a kick within the enamel to undergo one other painful loss to the Panthers, but it surely comes at a expensive time within the season with their very own playoff destiny up within the air.
“You’d be mendacity in the event you stated it didn’t imply just a little extra,” stated Oilers ahead Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. “However on the similar time, our mindset was we’d like two factors right now of yr and the place we’re within the standings and pushing for the playoffs.
“It clearly goes with out saying that there’s plenty of historical past there. It’s a irritating evening.”
The Oilers (34-27-9) noticed a two-game successful streak halted and missed out on a chance to maneuver forward of the idle Anaheim Geese into first within the Pacific Division.
“Look, everybody involves the rink with the suitable mindset,” stated veteran Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse. “This staff, we wish to win. Each day you come to the rink, you wish to win. You wish to compete.
“You wish to beat whoever’s on the opposite aspect, whether or not it’s the Florida Panthers or the Calgary Flames. It doesn’t matter.”
The Oilers at the moment are 1-9-2 after they have had the chance to win three video games in a row and fell to 0-10-2 this season when Connor McDavid fails to gather some extent.
Edmonton was nonetheless with out star ahead Leon Draisaitl, out for the remainder of the common season with a lower-body harm.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed March 20, 2026.
© 2026 The Canadian Press
