3 Florida Panthers players who disappointed in Stanley Cup Final Game 5 loss to Edmonton Oilers feat. Aleksander Barkov 

With the Florida Panthers’ 5-3 Game 5 defeat to the Edmonton Oilers, the series now heads back to Rogers Place for a crucial Game 6. The Panthers will be looking to close out the series and win their first Stanley Cup or face the prospect of a Game 7.

As Game 6 looms on the horizon, here's a closer look at three disappointing Florida Panthers players in Game 5.

3 Florida Panthers players who disappointed in Game 5

#1. Sergei Bobrovsky

The brilliant Sergei Bobrovsky who outdueled Igor Shesterkin in the Eastern Conference finals, the same Bobrovsky that robbed the Oilers in the first three games of the Stanley Cup Final, has gone missing.

Bobrovsky gave up five goals in Game 4 and four more in Game 5. Bobrovsky has looked shaky at times, failing to bail out his team when most needed. Case in point: Bobrovsky was unable to stop a shorthanded chance, leading to Connor Brown’s shortie. The goal opened the scoring and set the tone for the game.

The Florida Panthers will need Sergei Bobrovsky to re-emerge as the Vezina Trophy Caliber goaltender that he is. As it stands, Stuart Skinner has outplayed Bobrovsky thus far in the series.

#2. Gustav Forsling

Gustav Forsling has gone from a revelation to silence. Forsling built on the wonderful play he had against the New York Rangers, putting in three excellent games at the start of the Finals series. But now, he’s gone quiet.

While Forsling has played well enough defensively, his offensive presence has gone unnoticed in the last two games. The issue is that no other defenseman has picked up the offensive slack. Of course, Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored in Game 4. Still, other key defensemen like Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour have not pulled their offensive weight.

Florida will need Forsling to channel the play that made him successful in the first three games in order to help his team close out the series in Game 6.

#3. Aleksander Barkov

Barkov has been lost in the last two games. The Panthers captain went from being a straight-jacket on Connor McDavid to becoming absent on the ice. Barkov was a minus-2 in Game 4, failing to register a point in the contest. Perhaps he is dealing with a lingering issue following the hit he took from Leon Draisaitl in Game 3.

Whatever the case, the Florida Panthers need him to play up to his Selke Trophy pedigree to put a stop to Connor McDavid and Co. The Oilers captain has run amok in the last two games, leading Edmonton out of an 0-3 hole to a potential series-tying victory in Game 6.

The Panthers still hold a 3-2 series lead, and can lift their first Stanley Cup with a win in Game 6 at Rogers Place on Friday.