The Florida Panthers have taken down their in-state rival in the Tampa Bay Lightning by a score of 4-1 after winning Game 5 6-1. On Tuesday night, they sent the series to Tampa with a 2-0 lead thanks to an overtime game-winning goal scored by forward Carter Verhaeghe, who is currently the franchise leader in game-winning goals scored in the playoffs.
But there has been something significant over the past few seasons when it comes to these types of moments. Because of that goal, Florida has now won 11 straight overtime playoff games, and it all started from playing in these situations over the years. With playoff experience, they’ve become acclimated to the atmosphere.
Panthers’ Big Moments Started in the 2021 Postseason
In the shortened 2020-21 season, the Cats found themselves back in a postseason position for the second season in a row and the seventh time in franchise history. While they would end up losing the series in six games to the Bolts that year, Game 3 showed they were ready to handle a do-or-die atmosphere. With the game in overtime, an unlikely hero in forward Ryan Lomberg scored the game-winning goal in front of a Tampa crowd.
Ever since that game, it started a trend in the postseason. The following postseason, Verhaeghe scored overtime winners in back-to-back games against the Washington Capitals in Round 1, giving them their first series win since 1996. In their next playoff appearance, they won every single game they played that went past regulation with seven overtime wins that postseason. This includes a game-winning goal, scored by Verhaeghe, that completed what could be the biggest upset in NHL history in Game 7 of Round 1 against the Boston Bruins.
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Additionally, forward Matthew Tkachuk scored what is argued as the greatest goal in Panthers history with 4.5 seconds left in the third period against the Carolina Hurricanes. That gave Florida the sweep of the series and their second appearance ever in a Stanley Cup Final.
“Anytime we go to OT, we’re pretty confident. We know it can go either way, but at the end of the day, it’s one shot and someone has to make a play eventually.”
Carter Verhaeghe on overtime situations
Over the years, the Panthers have been in tough situations. As a result, the team has learned to take those in stride and find ways to win games.
This Panthers Team Was Built for These Situations
Ever since taking over, general manager Bill Zito has built a team that was made for the playoffs over the years. This includes bringing in playoff performers such as Verhaeghe, Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, and even Sam Bennett.
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Along with those that were brought in, pieces of the main core have seen the gauntlet of the playoffs with Florida over time. This especially includes Aleksander Barkov and Aaron Ekblad, who have lost in heart-breaking fashion before in the playoffs back in 2016 to the New York Islanders. Everyone involved knows the stakes at hand and knows one mistake can cost a team a ton of hard work.
Is it Enough to Win the Cup?
Of course, they still have to get through a couple more rounds to get to that point. But, a key sign that a team is trending in the right direction is finding success in high-stakes moments. With 11 overtime victories in a row over the past four seasons, it’s enough evidence to confirm they can handle the intensity.
Last season, they fell just short of hockey’s holy grail. But with their successful regular season, and the tough games they’ve been playing in this postseason, there is a chance they could have a shot at glory once again.
