In Game 3 of the 2025 Eastern Conference Final, the Paul Maurice-coached Florida Panthers really took charge against the Carolina Hurricanes, winning 6-2 and pulling ahead with a solid 3-0 series lead. The game was all tied up at 1-1 as they headed into the third period, but then the Panthers really took off, scoring five goals in just over ten minutes and totally dominating the Hurricanes. Aleksander Barkov really stepped up with two goals and an assist, and Niko Mikkola also got in on the action with two goals of his own, continuing their d-men’s offensive contributions this postseason.

Jesper Boqvist scored a goal and had two assists, while Brad Marchand also got on the scoreboard. Sergei Bobrovsky, the goaltender, came up big with 23 saves to help clinch the win. Even with goals from Seth Jarvis and Logan Stankoven, the Hurricanes just couldn’t hold up against the Panthers’ intense offense. Florida is just one win away from making it to their third straight Stanley Cup Final, and Game 4 is happening in Sunrise, Florida. Can you believe that Florida is missing one of their star forwards in this game? Yep, that’s Sam Reinhart not playing.

He picked up a lower-body injury in Game 2, so he wasn’t able to play in Game 3. But, you know, this match didn’t really go as smoothly for the Panthers. Niko Mikkola and A.J. Greer ran into a bit of trouble. Greer didn’t finish Game 3, and we don’t know the details about his injury. So, halfway through the third period, Mikkola lost his balance while trying to defend against Carolina’s Logan Stankoven and ended up crashing awkwardly into the end boards. He stepped out of the game at 8:02 in the third period and didn’t come back. However, there’s a positive update on both players now.

On X, Sr. Digital Content Manager for the Florida Panthers, Jameson Olive provided the update, stating, “Mikkola and Greer should be good to go for Game 4, per Maurice. We’ll see how things look in the morning.” For the Panthers, this is a welcome sight, confirmed by none other than coach Paul Maurice.

Mikkola has been in 15 postseason games, where he’s netted 3 goals, dished out 2 assists, and racked up a total of 5 points, all while holding a plus-minus rating of +6. Pretty good for a defenseman! So, Greer is diving into his first NHL postseason, and in those 11 games, he’s managed to score 2 goals, get 1 assist, and rack up a total of 3 points. Both of them are key players in the Panthers lineup, and it seems like they’ll be in the mix for an important Game 4. But what did Maurice say about Game 3?

Paul Maurice gives an honest verdict following the Game 3 victory

After the Florida Panthers’ impressive 6-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final, head coach Paul Maurice highlighted how crucial it is to stay calm and draw lessons from previous experiences.

Looking back at past playoff series, Maurice mentioned, “We got up (3-0 against) Toronto two years ago and wanted it so bad that we tried to win the game on every play. I think we kind of learned from that. Then you saw last year (in the Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers), got beat 8-1. It’s the same idea. They have the desperation advantage, you have potentially the desire advantage — just the achievement idea that you get to move on — and both teams will fight that. That will be on display in the game.”

For Maurice, this isn’t the first time Florida has been in a situation like this. We’ve seen plenty of situations like the one he mentioned with the Oilers and Maple Leafs. It’s interesting to note that while the Hurricanes have that edge of desperation, the Panthers are really driven by their desire to make it to the Stanley Cup Final.