Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final turned into a no-holds-barred slugfest that felt more like a UFC event than a hockey game. And now, Edmonton Oilers defenseman Jake Walman is paying the price—literally.
Walman has been slapped with a $10,000 fine after a wild third-period melee saw him punch Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk in the face and squirt water at the Panthers bench. Yes, you read that right—fists flew, water bottles were weaponized, and by the time it was over, six players had been ejected and over 140 penalty minutes were racked up.
It all started when tensions boiled over in what was already a 5-1 blowout in favor of Florida. Tkachuk, never one to shy away from chaos, was restrained by John Klingberg while Walman unleashed punches—an act that would soon go viral across hockey Twitter.
But that was just the beginning.
Soon after, Trent Frederic of the Oilers went after Florida’s Sam Bennett, cross-checking him to the ice. Bennett responded with a barrage of punches, and suddenly, it was on. Every player on the ice paired off in full-blown brawls. The refs? They just let it ride.
From Darnell Nurse vs. Jonah Gadjovich to A.J. Greer vs. Mattias Ekholm, fists flew like fireworks in Sunrise, Florida. Fans were on their feet. Social media exploded. And by the time the dust settled, six game misconducts had been handed out, and the tension still wasn’t over.
Edmonton’s Evander Kane was tossed for slashing Carter Verhaeghe in the face. Even Corey Perry couldn’t resist one last scrap as the final horn sounded—jousting with Panthers players while debris rained down from the stands.
After the game, Tkachuk made his stance crystal clear:
> “If you have to take a punch in the face, take it. If you have to take a cross-check, take a cross-check… whatever the case is, you’ve got to take it.”
The series continues Thursday with Florida holding all the momentum—and now, all eyes on what could be the most explosive Stanley Cup Final in years.
