NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 10, 2025
In today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines: the Panthers maul the Oilers in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, T.J. Oshie officially retires, and the Islanders hired two new assistant coaches.
NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers romped to a 6-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, taking a 2-1 lead in the series.
Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Reinhart and Evan Rodrigues each had a goal and an assist, Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett scored again, and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 32 shots for the Panthers. Corey Perry had the only goal for the Oilers, who pulled goalie Stuart Skinner in the third period after he gave up five goals on 23 shots.
Florida Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe (NHL Images).
Game 4 is Thursday in Florida at 8 pm ET
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The scoresheet doesn’t tell the full story. Put simply, the Panthers mauled the Oilers from start to finish.
Marchand opened the scoring just 56 seconds into the game, Verhaeghe scored what proved to be the winning goal later in the period, and the Panthers’ relentless forechecking put the game out of reach after Perry got the Oilers to within one goal early in the second period.
More importantly, the Panthers’ agitating style antagonized the Oilers throughout the game, getting under their skin and disrupting their rhythm. This was the worst performance by the Oilers in this postseason, and the Panthers knew it, laughing in their faces during the scrums and suckering them into taking retaliatory penalties.
Another performance like that by the Oilers in Game 4, and they can write off any hope of wrenching the Stanley Cup from the Panthers.
DAILY FACEOFF: This was a milestone game for Panthers head coach Paul Maurice. He became the third bench boss in NHL history to reach 1,000 combined regular-season and playoff wins.
TSN: Panthers forward A.J. Greer returned to action after missing the last two games with an undisclosed injury.
NHL.COM: Washington Capitals winger T.J. Oshie officially announced his retirement after 16 seasons in an event held at the Washington Harbor on Monday.
A chronic back injury had Oshie on long-term injury reserve throughout 2024-25. This season was the final one of his eight-year contract.
Oshie had 302 goals and 393 assists for 695 points in 1,010 regular-season games with the St. Louis Blues and the Capitals. He also had 34 goals and 69 points in 106 playoff games, winning the Stanley Cup with the Capitals in 2018.
NYI HOCKEY NOW: The Islanders hired Ray Bennett and Bob Boughner as new assistant coaches on Monday. Bennett was the power-play coach for the Colorado Avalanche from 2017 until being fired this spring. Boughner spent the past three seasons as the Detroit Red Wings’ defense and penalty-killing coach.
Oilers visibly frustrated 85 penalty minutes – third most ever game for team in Stanley Cup Finals.
Panthers were relentless chasing the Oilers all night which led to scoring and a very frustrated Oilers team. Even at 2-1 it didn’t feel close
Singularly pathetic
So far in these 2025 playoffs Florida, in their total wins so far, has outscored the opposition 69 – 25 for an average score of 5-2.
In their losses to date they have been outscored 23 – 11 for an average score of 4-2.
In their wins, Edmonton has outscored the opposition 56 – 26 for an average score of 4 – 2. In their losses, they have been outscored 33 – 18 for an average score of 6 – 3.
GeorgeO, surprised Oiler fans aren t going after Skinner.
I think, by now, even the densest among them realize his limitations when it comes to consistency. On a much smaller scale, that’s why Ottawa unloaded Korpisalo on Boston
I think we would be if the team played any better than they had last night. They all stunk lol from Skinner through to McDavid. Hard to pin that one on any one Oiler, even Skinner.
Mcdavid will not put up with a bunch of idiots running around trying to hurt people and taking stupid penalties. He’s trying to win the cup and most of his teammates can’t stay focused. Kane and Walman were especially embarrassing I had to switch game to the Blue Jays it was that bad. Oilers can beat Florida but not like that they need to stick to hockey and speed and capitalize on the PP.If Oilers lose again I can’t see him signing long term not unless he’s made a pact with Leon or some serious turnover in players.
The thing is, Obe, I think McDavid is also smart enough to know that changing teams is absolutely NO guarantee that things will ultimately be different elsewhere.
It was one game Obe. The Oilers completely unraveled and while guys like Kane and Walman were poster guys for much of what went wrong…McDavid was brutal last night as well. So was Leon. I suspect both of those guys were more concerned and frustrated by their own lack of pressure and production than the antics of Kane and Walman in one singular game.
Also the idea that win or losing in the finals is going to impact McDavids long term plans seems quite the stretch. If they happen to lose this year…I believe it will be the 4th straight year they were eliminated by the eventual cup winner. Certainly sounds like a club a player would jump ship from.
McDavid will make the best choice for him…but I doubt losing a 2nd year in the finals is going to push him out the door.
But alas…who I am I to say.
That might be jumping the gun a little bit Obe. It was one game and they lost their composure.
I was absolutely fine with them going after the Panthers in garbage time. That’s your opportunity to give it to them and not hurt the team. The problem wasn’t scrums and penalties, the problem was taking penalties early that were 200′ from your own net and you’re trying to kill 3 straight 5 minutes into the game. Twice for Kane and then a too many men penalty. 3 straight all in a 5 minute span. Momentum killer.
The Oil haven’t played their best game yet, and if they don’t, you can’t win the SCF against a very, very good team and the defending champs. That’s it & that’s all that matters.
McDavid knows it, he said it in his presser.
The Oiler wingers ae getting destroyed along the half wall by Florida D-men crashing down. The Panther forecheck takes away the Oiler D’s time, their only play is to the wall, and the wingers need to get it out. Job 1. Might even create some rush chances, where the Oil will kill you. Just like Florida will.
Hasn’t happened and they are spending too much time defending.
The Oiler record since Knoblach became the HC in games 4-7 is extremely good, like 17-2. They adjust.
Problem is one of those 2 losses was against Florida in game 7 last year.
Last nights game will be easier to get over then the 2 OT loss IMO. Nobody needs to second guess what could have been, they got sh*t bagged and they know why. And it isn’t because of scrums.
Win the next one and it’s best of 3 with 2 games on home ice. Kind of a big game?
To Georges point, McDavid knows he has a great chance to keep competing for a cup playing with his best bud, Draisaitl.
Where is that opportunity better where they can afford him? It won’t be in Florida, they’re all set and locked in on their key guys.
There will be one focus on the Oilers, play your game, fix the issues, and show up for game 4.
Win the board battles, win the game.
IMO.
McDavid appeared to be a little bit frustrated, I would think so, the guy wants to win. If McDavid didn`t appear to be frustrated then you know you have a problem and I`ll use Matthews as an example. He showed little emotion in losing to Florida, while Marner lost it during game 7. Matthews and Marner threw their team mates under the bus after the game. Now Marner`s on the bus headed out of town. Players like McDavid play with a lot of emotion and it shows. As much as I`d love to see McDavid in Toronto, it ain`t gonna happen. McDavid retires as an Oiler with a cup in his hand
The 1st 2 games of this series were 2 of the greatest games I ever seen! This last one…..not so much, even though I am routing for FLA.
A loss is a loss. I always felt washing off a trouncing was easier than that of a 2 to 1 loss. Team stunk. It got out of hand and a big part was discipline for sure.
Clean off the white board and get back to it.
I feel last year watching the panthers I did not have the animosity I have for them this time around. Of course from a position of bias, I feel they have dialed up the embellishment this time around. Oilers certainly deserve the penalties they were called for but from Bennet flopping on skinner to Marchand appearing to be a whiplash victim in a high stick to Bob looking like he was shot by a cannon on barely be touched it feels a bit much.
It works, it’s just not a part of the game I ever enjoyed.
I also thought changing up the D pairings was an odd option. In an attempt to help Nurse I think Kulak and Walman had their worse games this spring.
But all said I have no doubt we will a much better game from the Oilers in game 4.
A few days ago, someone posted how the Oilers were such a delight to watch. That they play a “beautiful” style of hockey. Last night was truly beautiful. Arvidson beautifully crashed into Bobrovsky (Intentional? Never!). Walman beautifully squirted water at the Florida bench multiple times. Trips, slashes, hacks…and all the while the Panthers’ players laughed. Edmonton displayed charm school graduate level grace and charm, for sure.
I’m the one who said Edmonton plays a beautiful game and i stand by it.
Oilers have to play their game and not get suckered into Panther’s gutter.
It’s hard to ignore the embellishment, facerubs with the sticks, the slash on the back of the knee at the whistle.
It’s hard to ignore the Panther’s stretching the limit of every action on the ice with the refs letting it go.
Oilers can’t play that game, they need to stick to their identity and skate them into the ground.
What is up with the scheduling. I have a bit of a short memory but has these 2 days between games in the finals been a thing for sometime?
I remember thinking the extra day between game 6 and game 7 really helped the panthers to chill out and refocus.
Now we seen it again this year extra day between games. This time I think the extra day will help the Oilers.
But has stretching out the finals with extra day between been a thing for sometime that I hadn’t caught not being so invested in the series?
Scheduling games is mainly due to Television and not having Stanley Cup game the same day as NBA Finals game.