‘We Stick Together’: Jonah Gadjovich Provides Spark for Panthers in Stanley Cup Final

SUNRISE, Fla. — Jonah Gadjovich seemed surprised when his teammate Brad Marchand presented him with the game puck following Florida’s 6-1 shelling over Edmonton in Monday night’s Game 3.

“We stick together, two f***ng more boys” Gadjovich said to the Panthers room before placing the puck on the board.

Despite not getting a point in the victory that brings Florida two wins closer to back-to-back Stanley Cups, the fourth-like grinder was more than deserving of the honor bestowed upon him by his future hall of famer teammate.

“I wasn’t expecting that but it’s cool to get that from him,” Gadjovich said when asked about receiving the game puck. “It’s just  such a big team effort. Obviously, anyone could have gotten that puck, but it’s fun. We kind of put that behind us now and [move] on to the next game.”

Gadjovich’s night was highlighted by his fight with Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse. Both players are tough customers, with Nurse clocking in at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds and Gadjovich not far behind him at 6-foot-3, 211 pounds.

Their highly entertaining — and long winded — heavyweight fight was the highlight of a full on, five-on-five “line brawl” between the two teams.

By the end of the bout — which came with 9:31 to go in regulation as the Panthers held a commanding 5-1 lead — both Gadjovich and Nurse left the ice with bloody smiles and game misconducts.

“The game’s over with 11 minutes left. Then all hell breaks loose,” Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl said. “It’s a UFC fight.”

He added: “That’s part of their DNA, that’s what they do. It’s an emotional time. It’s two teams that want to win, two teams doing it their own way, but I don’t think anybody is going crazy here. They’re good at what they do.”

Florida’s fourth-line has been an energy source this postseason for the team, even if the time on ice numbers don’t show it.

“They don’t get the love all the time that they deserve,” Marchand said of Gadjovich after Game 3. “[He’s] an incredible guy — and that whole line. Gadjy did an incredible job sticking up for the guys there and taking on Nurse, who’s obviously a tough guy as well.

”Their (the fourth-line) entire game, they carry so much emotion, and give us so much energy and a lot of really good momentum swings in our favor just because of the style of game that they play.”