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Oilers Player Appears to Get Beer Shower from Panthers Fan After Ejection

Tensions were high in penalty-packed Game 3.

Kyle Koster

Panthers fans give the business to Kasperi Kapanen
Panthers fans give the business to Kasperi Kapanen / NHL
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With the Florida Panthers enjoying a comfortable lead late in their series-turning Game 3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers, the Stanley Cup Final turned into chaos. When the smoke cleared and the dust settled, several players earned ejections and the losing Oilers had racked up an absurd 85 penalty minutes.

It's not a real surprise that things got heated as there's plenty of animosity between these two teams following last year's epic seven-game battle and Edmonton's desire to create something productive out of a lopsided loss. This is all preamble to say that Kasperi Kapanen, bounced on a game misconduct, like every other visitor exiting the ice in hostile territory on Monday night, was given an earful. It also looks like he was given a cupfull.

Look, the double-birds salute is one thing. It's not great but that just comes with the territory of being an irrational, immature sports fan. Actually dumping out expensive beer onto someone's head—or merely trying to—crosses a line.

Tensions will be sky-high and patrons well-served as the Panthers look to take a 3-1 series lead on Thursday night. Could be more fireworks.

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Kyle Koster
KYLE KOSTER

Kyle Koster is an assistant managing editor at Sports Illustrated covering the intersection of sports and media. He was formerly the editor in chief of The Big Lead, where he worked from 2011 to '24. Koster also did turns at the Chicago Sun-Times, where he created the Sports Pros(e) blog, and at Woven Digital.

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