Oilers' penalty woes and composure issues lead to blowout loss and put them in precarious spot

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Falling behind early, parading to the penalty box and losing their composure, the Edmonton Oilers find themselves in an all-too-familiar position trailing the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final.

Not much went right for them in Game 3 on Monday night, a 6-1 blowout loss that put them down 2-1 in the series after taking the opener at home. By Tuesday, they were back on the ice for practice, eager to put their worst performance since early in the playoffs behind them.

“We obviously didn’t feel great waking up, but getting together again, get on the ice, we all feel a lot better,” veteran defenseman Mattias Ekholm said. “Most guys wanted to go out and skate and have a good flush of the legs and that’s just what we did.”

Many of their 85 penalty minutes, the most by a team in the final in nearly four decades, came in garbage time, but there is far more concern about the mistakes that piled up early.

“We didn’t play very well,” said Evander Kane, who was whistled for two of his three minor penalties in a miserable first period and got a misconduct late. "That’s evident. We have nobody to blame but ourselves. We can definitely be a lot better.”

Stuart Skinner got pulled after allowing five goals on 23 shots, but captain Connor McDavid acknowledged, “I don’t know how much we’re going to put on Stu.” The play in front of him was disjointed and disconnected at 5 on 5, on the power play and on the penalty kill.

Coach Kris Knoblauch after practice also defended Skinner's play but said no decision has been made on who will start in Game 4 on Thursday night. Journeyman backup Calvin Pickard went 6-0 in the first and second rounds after replacing Skinner as the starter before getting injured and ceding the net.

“I’m not holding anything against Stu on that performance,” Knoblauch said.

Skinner was not even close to the biggest problem.

“Obviously it wasn’t our best — not our best at all," McDavid said. ”I don’t think our best has shown up all series long. But it’s coming. We’ll shift the focus to finding a way to get a win in Game 4.”

Being more disciplined is a good place to start.

After giving up a goal to Brad Marchand 56 seconds into the game, Edmonton took four minor penalties in the first period. The dam eventually broke on a power-play goal from Carter Verhaeghe with less than 3 minutes left in the first period that proved to be the game-winner.

“We’ve got to control our penalties in the first,” Ekholm said. “We can’t take four. It’s just too much. You’re having their best players on the ice way more than we have our top guys on there because we’re obviously killing too much.”

The Oilers' play was almost indistinguishable from how they've looked for much of this run, getting balanced scoring and star performances from McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Ill-timed defensive breakdowns proved costly, and guys lost their cool — like Jake Walman squirting water at Panthers players on their bench from his place on the visiting side.

“I obviously did that for a reason,” Walman said, reluctant to explain why. “It’s just gamesmanship, I guess.”

Walman was fined $10,000 Tuesday, $5,000 for the water bottle incident and the same amount for taking an extra swing at Matthew Tkachuk. He and the rest of his teammates are expected to be off Wednesday before returning to the ice Thursday for their morning skate.

"Having the day off the day before, that’s our plan," Knoblauch said. “Kind of break it up a little bit and not be on the ice all the time.”

AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

NHL referees separate Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell (15) and Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl (29) during the first period of Game 3 of the NHL Stanley Cup final Monday, June 9, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Edmonton Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse, left, looks up ice during practice at the NHL Stanley Cup Finals in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Tuesday, June 10, 2025.(Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Edmonton Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse, left, looks up ice during practice at the NHL Stanley Cup Finals in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Tuesday, June 10, 2025.(Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner makes a save during practice at the NHL Stanley Cup Finals in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Tuesday, June 10, 2025.(Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch yells during practice at the NHL Stanley Cup Finals in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Tuesday, June 10, 2025.(Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Edmonton Oilers' Darnell Nurse (25) and Florida Panthers' Jonah Gadjovich (12) fight during the third period in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup finals in Sunrise, Fla., Monday, June 9, 2025. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch looks on from the bench with Leon Draisaitl (29) and Connor McDavid (97) during the third period in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup finals against the Florida Panthers in Sunrise, Fla., Monday, June 9, 2025. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) is scored on by Florida Panthers' Sam Bennett, not shown, during the second period in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup finals in Sunrise, Fla., Monday, June 9, 2025. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid (97) falls after a check from Florida Panthers' Aaron Ekblad (5) during the second period in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup finals in Sunrise, Fla., Monday, June 9, 2025. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Edmonton Oilers defensemen Mattias Ekholm (14), Brett Kulak (27) and center Adam Henrique (19) talks during the second period of Game 3 of the NHL Stanley Cup final against the Florida Panthers Monday, June 9, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Houston's stingy defense knocked Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers out of the NFL playoffs, sending the Texans to the divisional round to complete wild-card weekend.

The Texans sacked Rodgers four times, scored two defensive touchdowns and held Pittsburgh to 175 yards in a 30-6 victory on Monday night. It was Houston's 10th straight win and the franchise's first on the road in the playoffs.

Mike Tomlin and the Steelers lost their seventh consecutive playoff game, and Rodgers may have played the last game of his Hall of Fame career.

Houston (13-5), the AFC's No. 5 seed, will face the No. 2 seed New England Patriots (15-3) next Sunday at 3 p.m. EST. The No. 2 seed Bears (12-6) will host the No. 5 seed Rams (13-5) in the second game Sunday.

The divisional round will kick off with the No. 6 seed Bills (13-5) at the No. 1 seed Broncos (14-3) on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. The No. 6 seed 49ers (13-5) will face the top-seeded Seahawks (14-3) in the night game.

In Sunday's wild-card games, Brock Purdy tossed a 4-yard TD pass to Christian McCaffrey with 2:54 remaining to lift the 49ers to a 23-19 comeback win at Philadelphia. McCaffrey also caught a 29-yard TD pass from wide receiver Jauan Jennings.

The Patriots sacked Justin Herbert six times and held Los Angeles to just 207 yards in a 16-3 win on Sunday night.

Josh Allen led Buffalo to a 27-24 comeback victory in Jacksonville in Sunday's first game. Allen scored on a 1-yard run late in the fourth quarter and Cole Bishop intercepted Trevor Lawrence's pass to secure Buffalo's first playoff win on the road since the 1992 AFC championship game at Miami.

On Saturday, the playoffs kicked off with two wacky games.

The Bears trailed the Green Bay Packers 21-3 at halftime and 27-16 with just under seven minutes left in the fourth quarter before Caleb Williams threw a pair of touchdown passes. His 25-yard TD toss to D.J. Moore put Chicago ahead 31-27 with 1:43 remaining. Then Jordan Love's desperation heave into the end zone from the Bears 28 was knocked down as time expired to secure Chicago's first playoff win since the 2010 season.

Williams finished with 361 yards passing, two TDs and two interceptions for the Bears.

In the opener on wild-card weekend, Matthew Stafford threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Colby Parkinson in the final minute and Los Angeles rallied to beat the Carolina Panthers 34-31 in a game that was much closer than expected.

The Rams were double-digit favorites on BetMGM Sportsbook against the Panthers (8-10). The Rams jumped to a 14-0 lead, but couldn’t take advantage of first-half turnovers and allowed Carolina to get within 17-14 at halftime.

Stafford, who earned All-Pro honors for the first time in his 17-year career on Saturday, threw for 304 yards, three TDs and had one pick. Puka Nacua, who was a unanimous All-Pro selection, had 10 catches for 111 yards and one TD and also had a 5-yard TD run.

The Rams are back in the divisional round for the second straight season. Last year, they were 13 yards away from eliminating Philadelphia before a sack and an incomplete pass ended their season with a 28-22 loss.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Houston Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (90) celebrates with cornerback Tremon Smith (11), defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (51) and linebacker E.J. Speed (45) after a touchdown during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)

New England Patriots defensive end Milton Williams (97), linebacker Christian Elliss (53) and linebacker Robert Spillane (14) celebrate Williams' sack of Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey scores a touchdown during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) celebrates his touchdown with tight end Dawson Knox (88) during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams looks to throw during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Green Bay Packers Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Huh)

Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams celebrates after an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Green Bay Packers Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) reacts after a first down during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)

Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson, center left, celebrates his touchdown catch with wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) throws a pass during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones)