An insider has revealed that the Edmonton Oilers have an advantage going into game 3 after the Florida Panthers plane was delayed for hours Due to inclement weather, preventing them from leaving South Florida.
Earlier today, News broke that the Florida Panthers were grounded in South Florida due to a monsoon moving through the region. As a result, their plane was severely delayed and they won't get to Edmonton until later tonight about 3 and a half hours behind schedule.
According to insider Emily Kaplan, the Panthers took off around 4:30 eastern today, which puts them way behind schedule.
This would certainly be an advantage based on the situation and the reason for the delays. My question is, why would the Florida Panthers not fly out sooner than today if they knew that a storm was coming that may prevent them from travelling as they were scheduled? If this does indeed 3 give the advantage in game three to the Oilers it's nobody's fault but the Panthers.
We'll have to wait and see what tomorrow brings, but the Edmonton Oilers will be the fresher of the two teams, and the Florida Panthers also have to deal with the time change, which won't be easy as well. Factor in The Panthers and Oilers are covering the largest distance in Stanley Cup final history, and the deck is certainly stacked against the Panthers to win game 3.