Panthers’ power play finally comes through at home in Game 3 vs. Oilers

SUNRISE — As impressive as the Florida Panthers’ third consecutive run through the Stanley Cup playoffs has been, it’s been accompanied by an inexplicable statistical oddity.

The Panthers could not get the puck in the net on the power play at home.

They entered Monday night’s Game 3 1 for 28 (3.6 percent) on the power play in playoff games at Amerant Bank Arena through three rounds.

Florida apparently just needed the stakes to be a little higher. The Panthers scored twice on the power play Monday as they took a 2-1 series lead against the Edmonton Oilers.

The drought was snapped when forward Carter Verhaeghe went top shelf against Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner with 2:15 remaining in the first period as the Panthers had the man advantage. It put Florida ahead, 2-0, after Brad Marchand started Game 3 how he ended Game 2 on Friday, with his goal.

It happened after the Panthers came up empty on their first three power play chances, but Edmonton forward Viktor Arvidsson taking a penalty for goaltender interference was the one that finally allowed the Panthers to take advantage.

And then they got a second on the power play in the third period. Defenseman Aaron Ekblad ripped the puck past Skinner to end his night prematurely early in the period, as the Panthers took a 5-1 lead.

Before Monday, Florida’s only power play goal at home in the playoffs came in Game 4 of the second round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, also off the stick of Verhaeghe.

It’s not like the power play has been weak. On the road, the Panthers are 14 for 34 with the man advantage (41.2 percent).

“I would suggest, though, that we’re not either, that no team is,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said at Monday’s morning skate. “We’ve never run a 40-percent power play, home or road, and we don’t run a 4-percent power play, home or road.

“I’ve absolutely no idea why those numbers are so skewed, at all. We’ve talked about it, and then once we got to the point where we couldn’t figure it out, we just left it alone. That’s some high-end coaching there for you people. ‘I don’t know,’ is the answer.”

This story will be updated.