Brad Marchand Silences Florida Panthers Coach With Game 3 Dominance

Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice admitted that he "didn't appreciate" how good Brad Marchand was after Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals , and the veteran needed just 56 seconds to score against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 3.

Marchand has only been with the Panthers since March 7, after he was traded from the Boston Bruins . The 37-year-old has proved extremely valuable to Florida during this postseason run, which has seen them reach the Stanley Cup Finals for the third-straight season.

The veteran winger has now scored Florida's last three goals in the series, including an overtime winner in Game 2. With the series tied after two games in Edmonton, Marchand handed the Panthers a perfect start and set a new NHL record in the process.

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Marchand scored in the second period of a 4-3 overtime loss to the Oilers in Game 1, before becoming the hero in Game 2, after clinching Florida's first win of the series. Marchand's early goal in Game 3 broke a 52-year NHL record, as he became the oldest player to score in the first three games of the Stanley Cup Final.

Frank Mahovlich set the previous record in 1973, as he helped the Montreal Canadiens beat the New York Islanders at the age of 35. Marchand's heroics in Game 2 led to overwhelming praise from his Panthers teammates, and coach Maurice even admitted that his expectations were too low.

"I didn't appreciate how good his hands are," Maurice said of Marchand. "They're kind of in that Matthew Tkachuk mode. That's a set of hands that's at the top end. Those guys are special. He's an exceptional man. Really enjoy having him."

Marchand's winner in Game 2 was his fifth-career playoff overtime goal, tied for the third-most in Stanley Cup Playoffs history. "His anticipation and his hockey sense is unbelievable," Panthers teammate Matthew Tkachuk said.

"You see it tonight with two breakaway goals: just seeing the play and he's gone. I saw that a ton with him playing in Boston. Way better seeing it now."

Defenseman Nate Schmidt added: "He just finds a way. I don't think the moment ever gets too big for him."

Although things are looking promising for Marchand in Florida, he never intended to leave Boston and was initially left frustrated by the trade. Marchand is still set to enter free agency after the Stanley Cup, but his inability to reach a contract extension with the Bruins led to his departure.

The Panthers sent a conditional 2027 second-round NHL Draft pick to acquire Marchand for the postseason run, but his future in Florida remains uncertain. "Yeah, I've thought about it. But we'll deal with that in the future," Marchand said when asked if he will re-sign with the Panthers.

Marchand has tried his best to stop thinking about free agency while the Stanley Cup Finals series is ongoing, out of respect for the Panthers. "The longest you can go is two weeks, so you're in the moment that entire time," Marchand added.

"You can't have your mind in any other place other than right here and now. I've said it so often during this run: You have to enjoy these moments. They don't come often. There's no other thought in my mind right now."