“Hockey Gods trying to get Oilers a win” “I blame Bettman”:  NHL fans react as Panthers’ flight to Edmonton is delayed for Game 3 due to severe weather

The Florida Panthers will face the Edmonton Oilers in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday night. The tilt will happen at Rogers Place in Edmonton following the first two games at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida.

With the series shifting to Western Canada, both teams need to make travel arrangements to get there. However, things don’t look too good for the Florida Panthers. A post by the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast quoting insider Tim Reynolds reports bad weather conditions.

The post says that the Panthers won't be able to get into Edmonton before 8 p.m. local time on Wednesday night. Fans reacted to the news on X.

While some fans believe destiny is on the Oilers’ side, others took advantage of the opportunity to have fun with the matter.

"It’s the ref’s fault," a fan tweeted.

"I’ll bet Bettman says that’s gotta be worth a 5 minute major Oiler penalty right off the bat for weather interference," another fan tweeted.

"I blame Bettman," one fan tweeted.

Hopefully, there won’t be any weather delays ahead of Game 3. The Oilers will be looking to get back into the series, while the Panthers hope to take control with a 3-0 lead.

Panthers captain questionable for Game 3

Florida captain Aleksander Barkov has been labeled as questionable for Game 3. Barkov took a big hit from the Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl late in the third period of Game 2. Barkov left the game, as Draisaitl got a minor penalty on the play.

NHL.com reported an update provided by Florida coach Paul Maurice:

"He got through the skate and felt better today. He got through the skate today as far as I know. I haven’t checked after."

Maurice’s comments don’t necessarily indicate the team will be without Barkov. However, the comments signal that Barkov is under careful observation.

"We’ll get him on a plane, get him off a plane, get him on the ice and make a decision where he’s at tomorrow. But he looked good today," Maurice added.

Ultimately, it seems that Barkov will be a game-time decision for Florida. Florida will need their captain on the ice, as he has played a huge role in earning Florida a 2-0 series lead. Meanwhile, the Oilers hope they can win Game 3, whether or not Barkov is on the ice.