MIAMI (AFP): Carter Verhaeghe’s game-winner in overtime lifted Florida to a 3-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday as the Panthers clawed back a game in the NHL Stanley Cup final.
Matthew Tkachuk came up big for Florida again, forcing overtime with a goal that made it 2-2 with 2:13 left in the third period, and the Panthers cut the deficit in the best-of-seven championship series to 2-1 after dropping the first two games in Las Vegas.
Tkachuk’s goal electrified the crowd at FLA Live Arena, which had become more and more quiet as the Panthers appeared headed to a 3-0 series deficit.
Tkachuk had missed much of the first period after a hit by Keegan Kolesar. He had four shot attempts after returning in the second period — the last his 11th goal of the playoffs.
Verhaeghe sealed the victory with a wrist shot from inside the blue line, collecting the puck from Sam Bennett and firing through traffic and past Adin Hill.
“I had a little time to walk in and shoot, I’m so happy it went in,” Verhaeghe said.
Former Panther Jonathan Marchessault had put Vegas up 2-1 at 14:59 of the second period.
Knights center Jack Eichel found Marchessault wide open and Marchessault one-timed a shot over Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.
Vegas winger Mark Stone had knotted the score at 1-1 at 16:03 of the first, taking advantage of a four-on-three to pull level after the Panthers seized an early lead on a goal by defenseman Brandon Montour.
“It was probably just overall the gutsiest win of our season,” said Tkachuk, who scored from in front of the net off a rebound of a Verhaeghe shot.
Bobrovsky made 25 saves and Florida improved to 7-0 in overtime in the Stanley Cup playoffs, despite going 0-for-5 on powerplays.
“We’re the Cats,” Verhaeghe said. “We have whatever lives we have, but it’s awesome. It shows how great our team is and the guys on our team have no quit in them.”
Both Golden Knights goals came on powerplays and Marchessault’s was his fourth in three games in the series. He has scored in eight straight games and has 13 goals in the past 13 games.
The Panthers will try to level the series when they host game four on Saturday.
