Matthew Tkachuk scored a quadruple overtime goal with 12.7 seconds left as the Florida Panthers got by the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 on Thursday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals at PNC Arena. The Panthers have a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Florida was victorious on the road for the seventh consecutive time in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. It was the sixth longest game ever in Stanley Cup Playoffs history.
It was the longest postseason game ever played in Florida Panthers franchise history. Their previous best was when Uwe Krupp scored at the 4:31 mark in triple overtime for the Colorado Avalanche in Game 4 of the 1996 Stanely Cup Finals to eliminate the Panthers at Miami Arena.
The Panthers played in a third-round playoff contest for the first time since the 1995-96 postseason. The Hurricanes reached this stage for the first time since 2019.
The Cats won Game 1 in a playoff series for just the second time since 1998. Florida beat the Toronto Maple Leafs in the opening contest of the previous series.
It was the longest postseason contest in Carolina Hurricanes franchise history. Their longest postseason game was during the 2002 Stanley Cup Finals in Game 3 versus the Detroit Red Wings. Igor Larionov scored at 14:47 of the third overtime. Current Panthers head coach Paul Maurice was the head coach of the Canes that game.
Carolina took a 1-0 lead on the power play with 11.1 seconds left in the first period. Brent Burns forwarded the puck from the top right circle. Sebastian Aho made a pass from the right goal line and
Seth Jarvis blasted a one-time slap shot from the high slot by Sergei Bobrovsky for his fifth goal of the postseason.
Florida evened up the contest 1-1 with 4:32 remaining in the second period. Carter Verhaeghe sent a diagonal cross-ice pass in the neutral zone. Anthony Duclair carried the puck into the Canes zone on the right wing. He connected a centering pass and Aleksander Barkov snapped a shot from the inner left circle past Frederik Andersen for his third goal of the playoffs.
The Panthers moved ahead 2-1 with 2:17 to go. Barkov made a forehand shot from the left wing which was deflected on net by Duclair at the left of the crease. Duclair banked a pass from the end wall off the right skate of Jordan Staal in the crease area. Verhaeghe brought the puck from the right corner and released a wrist shot from the right-circle dot for his sixth goal of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
In the third period, the Hurricanes tied it up with the man advantage at the 3:47. Martin Necas backhanded a pass back from the low left circle. Jarvis pushed it from the slot area and Srefan Noesen placed in a wrist shot from the low right circle for his fourth tally of the postseason.
Florida thought they won the game at 2:35 of the first overtime on a goal by Ryan Lomberg. It was negated due to goaltender interference by Colin White.
The Panthers ended the contest with 12.7 seconds left in the fourth overtime. Sam Bennett stopped a backhand clearing pass by Burns on the right wing. He centered it and Tkachuk scored his sixth postseason goal on a high wrist shot from the inner right circle.
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