Carter Verhaeghe nets overtime game-winner for never-say-die Panthers as Florida fights for 3-2 overtime Game 3 win to cut Vegas’ Stanley Cup Finals lead to 2-1
- Tkachuk scored the equalizer for Florida with two minutes left in the third
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The Golden Knights were on the brink of taking a 3-0 lead over the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Finals. Instead, a late equalizer by Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk in the waning moments of the third period led to a game-winning overtime goal from Carter Verhaeghe to give the never-say-die Panthers a 3-2 win.
Now, Paul Maurice’s team heads into Saturday’s Game 4 in Sunrise, Florida trailing 2-1 following the first Stanley Cup victory in Panthers franchise history.
The Panthers are 7-0 in these playoffs in OT – actually winning more games in extra sessions than they´ve won in regulation.
“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.”
Tkachuk tied it with 2:13 left in the third period for the Panthers, who got the franchise’s first title-series game win in seven tries. Florida had to fend off a power play to start overtime, and Verhaeghe got the winner with Tkachuk providing some traffic in front of the net.
Carter Verhaeghe is congratulated by his teammates after scoring the game-winning goal
Knights goalie Adin Hill watches as Matthew Tkachuk scores the late equalizer for the Panthers
Rats are tossed onto the ice by fans after the game-winning goal by Carter Verhaeghe
Florida looked poised to cut Vegas’ lead in half in the first period when Brandon Montour scored on assists from Matthew Tkachuk and Eric Staal.
But the Golden Knights didn’t stay down long, tying the game 10 minutes later on a Mark Stone power-play goal assisted by Jonathan Marchessault and Shea Theodore. Marchessault added another power-play goal in the second period on assists from Jack Eichel and Stone for a 2-1 lead.
But as has been the case throughout the postseason, the Panthers were saved again by Tkachuk, who scored the equalizer with two minutes left in regulation after Florida pulled netminder Sergei Bobrovsky for the man advantage.
Post source: Daily mail
