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Around the NHL: McDavid, Hyman shine in Game 3, Brind’Amour calls out Hurricanes’ stars, Marchand staying in the moment
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Photo credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
Jeremy Tingly
May 26, 2025, 11:00 EDTUpdated: May 26, 2025, 08:07 EDT
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The Conference Finals continue as the NHL is down to its ‘final four’. The Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars, Carolina Hurricanes, and Florida Panthers continue to do battle as the Stanley Cup seems well within sight for the Panthers, meanwhile, the Oilers have built themselves a 2-1 series lead on home ice.
Here’s the very latest from around the NHL:

McDavid, Hyman score twice in Game 3 victory over Stars

The Oilers won an afternoon affair on Sunday, defeating the Stars 6-1 on home ice in Game 3, to take a 2-1 series lead in the Western Conference Final. Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman both scored twice to lead Edmonton to victory.
Evan Bouchard also added a goal and an assist, with former Maple Leaf John Klingberg also lighting the lamp. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins tied Wayne Gretzky’s Oilers record, becoming just the second player in franchise history to record more than one point in the first three games of a conference final. The Oilers have now won two straight games against the Stars, after completely collapsing in the third period of Game 1. McDavid spoke after the game and is proud of his team for finding different ways to win hockey games.
“You have to have dominant nights, you have to have nights where maybe your goalie is better than theirs. You have to find ways to win different games different ways, and we did again tonight.”

Hurricanes head coach calls out best players after going down 3-0 to Panthers

Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour isn’t happy with his team’s best players and feels they haven’t been able to lead the charge against the Panthers. Brind’Amour didn’t mince any words after the Game 3 loss, stating he needs more out of the core of his team.
“The four rookies in the lineup can’t be some of your better players,” Brind’Amour told media postgame. “That can’t happen. There are a couple of guys in there that I don’t think came to play the way they needed to in this time of year. It can’t be Jordan Staal and Martinook being our best players. That can’t always be that way. And they are every night. We needed more out of some guys.”
While Brind’Amour didn’t name names, his top line had a horrible Game 3. The line of Taylor Hall, Sebastian Aho, and Seth Jarvis was outscored 2-0 in Game 3 and was out-attempted 17-6 throughout the contest.
The Panthers have a stranglehold 3-0 lead against the Hurricanes, as many throughout Leafs Nation are wondering what could have been if the Leafs were able to beat the Panthers in Game 7.

Panthers’ Brad Marchand wants team to prepare for Game 7

Brad Marchand is drinking the Panthers’ Kool-Aid. Marchand and his Panthers teammates may be up 3-0 against the Hurricanes, but the veteran forward wants his team to stay in the moment and play like they’re expecting the series to go seven games.
“You don’t think about that,” Marchand said following the Game 3 victory. “We’re prepared to go seven here. I think the biggest thing for this group is, we’re really good at just focusing on what we need to do and staying in the moment and not looking ahead. You can’t start looking ahead. I mean, that’s such a dangerous game to play.”
Marchand knows he joined a winning organization ahead of this season’s trade deadline, and feels it’s the winning culture and experience in big games that’s going to propel Florida to victory against Carolina.
“There’s a lot of guys that have been through these moments before and kind of know how to deal with them, so you just rely on that. But we haven’t achieved anything yet. Until you win everything, you accomplish nothing.”

Quick hits from around the NHL:

  • Stars’ forward Mikko Rantanen called Oilers’ goaltender Stuart Skinner Game 3 difference maker. “He made key saves even when it was 3-1. [Tyler Seguin] had a Grade A in the slot, he makes the save, and 10 seconds later it’s 4-1. He was the MVP of the match, I would say.”
  • Oilers’ Connor Brown was injured in Game 3 after taking a hit from Stars’ defenceman Alex Petrovic.
  • USA beat Switzerland in the World Hockey Championships final thanks to Tage Thompson’s overtime goal. It’s the first gold medal at the IIHF Worlds for the Americans since 1933.
  • Stars forward Roope Hintz missed Game 3 after taking a Darnell Nurse slash in Game 2.
  • Panthers’ Sam Reinhart didn’t play Game 3 against the Hurricanes due to a lower-body injury.
  • Alex Ovechkin won the 2025 Mark Messier Leadership Award.
  • Mathieu Darche was named general manager and executive vice president of the New York Islanders. It’s also been reported that the Islanders are no longer considering Brendan Shanahan for any position.
  • Jeff Blashill has been named the newest bench boss of the Chicago Blackhawks.
  • Daily Faceoff’s Matt Larkin named offseason trade candidates who he feels could benefit from a change of scenery and the Maple Leafs’ Morgan Rielly made the list, along with Mat Barzal of the Islanders, Elias Pettersson of the Canucks, Marco Rossi in Minnesota, and Trevor Zegras in Anaheim.
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