Panthers and Oilers engage in all-out brawl as Florida takes control of Stanley Cup Final in Game 3 victory

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman discusses the upcoming playoffs and the future success of professional hockey on ‘Special Report.’

While fighting is a regularity in the NHL, there’s a low percentage of it happening in Stanley Cup Playoff games. 

Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, though, saw an all-out brawl in the Florida Panthers’ lopsided victory over the Edmonton Oilers to take a 2-1 lead in the series. 

In their first home game of the best-of-seven series, the Panthers took full advantage, and the Oilers tried to get even in a physical way instead of on the scoreboard. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

A fight breaks out during the third period between Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers in game three of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena. (Jim Rassol-Imagn Images)

The game was already 5-1 in favor of Florida when things were getting more chippy on the ice. It reached a different level when Edmonton forward Trent Federic started to pick on Sam Bennett to the point where he cross-checked him down to the ice, and Bennett retaliated with some punches as he got on top of Federic. 

That initial fight led every player on the ice to find a partner to duel with, and the referees simply let the brawl play itself out. The Oilers’ Darnell Nurse and the Panthers’ Jonah Gadjovich clutched each other’s sweaters and were throwing haymakers, while Florida’s A.J. Greer dueled with Edmonton’s Mattias Ekholm.

After the fights fizzled out, Nurse, Godjovich, Bennett, Federic, Greer and Ekholm were all called for game misconducts and sent off the ice for the remainder of the game. 

STANLEY CUP FINAL: FLORIDA PANTHERS EVEN UP SERIES AFTER THRILLING 2OT WIN AGAINST EDMONTON OILERS

But, with nearly half of