Panthers win the internet after brawl in Stanley Cup Final
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Panthers left wing Jonah Gadjovich fights Darnell Nurse of the Oilers in Game 3. Photo: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
When a 9-year-old Florida Panthers fan was asked to pick a favorite moment from the team's Game 3 win during the Stanley Cup Final, young Sophia told Local 10 News: "I really like how they punched each other."
- Indeed, much of the buzz from Florida's 6-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Monday night came from the brawl that broke out in the third period as frustrations boiled over for the Oilers.
The big picture: The Panthers, who have been called a dirty team by critics, were on the receiving end of numerous illegal hits in Game 3 after getting under Edmonton's skin.
- The animosity between them escalated in the third period when, with the game out of reach, Edmonton's Trent Frederic sparked a five-on-five fight that sent gloves flying and players falling to the ice.
🤪 Panthers left wing Jonah Gadjovich, one of the four players ejected for the scuffle, became an internet meme after his giddy blood-stained smile was shown on the broadcast.
- Gadjo, as he is known, was smiling as he traded punches with Oilers defender Darnell Nurse and stuck his tongue out in celebration after the two were separated. Gadjo was given the game puck afterward.
🤕 Stunning stat: The Oilers racked up 85 penalty minutes in Game 3, the most by a team in the final in nearly four decades, per the Associated Press.
- The 140 combined penalty minutes were the fourth most in a Stanley Cup Final game.
