With the Edmonton Oilers leading the series by winning Game 1, it looks like the Florida Panthers need to pick up their game. With Game 2 continuing with full buzz and excitement, chaos has already begun. And this time, it isn’t specifically from the Oilers fans cheering for their team, who have been playing exceptionally, but from the Cats, who are outraged over a poor call made. Well, the Game 2 narrative is veering towards penalties and some unnecessary incidents happening on the ice. Because Sam Bennett had to sit in the penalty box!

Sportsnet shared a clip of the game on X, where, in a heated moment, the Panthers star found himself at the centre of a penalty call. But what did he do exactly? While Bennett advanced towards the Oilers’ net, Mattias Ekholm pushed him straight into the goaltender, Stuart Skinner! Was it really Bennett’s fault? The Cats fans think otherwise and do not consider it to be a proper decision taken by the refs.

However, following this controversial interference during Game 2, when Bennett was asked whether he was surprised to be called for the infraction, the Panthers star gave a quick yet clear response! “Very surprised, yeah,” Bennett said. And honestly? Why wouldn’t he be? After all, the clip clearly highlighted how he was simply shoved into the Oilers’ goaltender by the defenseman.

The penalty not only disrupted the Panthers’ rhythm but also raised serious questions about the officiating decisions in such a crucial game. Meanwhile, the fans took to social media to have their say regarding the decision.

What are the Cats fans saying about Sam Bennett’s mid-game penalty?

With emotions already running high with the Stanley Cup Finals hype, this call didn’t just disrupt the flow of the game but added fuel to the fire. One fan simply commented under the Sportsnet post on X,  “Garbage call.” While another made an accusation, expressing, “Bennett literally did nothing. @NHL gifting McDavid a cup confirmed.” This one thinks there’s a bigger injustice at play that goes well beyond the penalty call on Bennett.

But there’s more. Many feel the officiating simply created a pattern that’s hard to ignore. “2x in a row Bennett is pushed into Skinner and this time it resulted in an Oilers goal, trash,” another one added. And with the concerns rising, another one chimed in while writing, “#CanadianRefs making sure their team wins over the better team in the Panthers.” This isn’t a reaction just about one penalty? Or is it? Talking about a larger feeling of imbalance—this one clearly hit a nerve.

To say that the frustration just boiled over would be an understatement because Florida’s fan base are convinced of that narrative. Which one? “They want McDavid to lift the Cup so bad,” another fan cleared. Was it really a bias favouring the league’s poster player? Well, with Game 2 now tied at 4-4, only time can predict who will win the Cup or the game. As for Sam Bennett’s call? Well, take a look at the clip and draw your own conclusions.