The Florida Panthers completed one of the biggest upsets in NHL history Sunday night with a 4-3 overtime Game 7 victory over the record-breaking Boston Bruins.
Carter Verhaeghe was the overtime hero for the second year in a row, beating goalie Jeremy Swayman with a wrist shot from the slot to send the Panthers to the second round where they will face Toronto. The Maple Leafs eliminated the Tampa Bay Lightning, who swept the Panthers out of the playoffs last season.
Boston, which set records for wins (65) and points (135) in the regular season, came into the series as heavy favorites to defeat the eighth-seeded Panthers. And it looked like things would go that way when they took a 3-1 series lead.
But the Panthers battled back and beat the Bruins in three straight, the first time that happened to Boston this season. Matthew Tkachuk kickstarted their series comeback with a Game 5 overtime winner, while players from up and down the lineup stepped up in the final two games.
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“I don’t think you can find a harder team to play against than the Boston Bruins. They are just that good,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “There isn’t a weakness in their game so they will test you in all parts. This is a proving ground that you get to keep surging into our next game, which is most important, but you get to keep that for a while.”
Sunday in Boston, things seemed to be going swimmingly for the Panthers to start Game 7 after they took a 2-0 lead early in the second period, but Boston battled back. After David Krejci brought the Bruins within a goal midway through the second period, the rest of the team got to work in the third and Boston suddenly had a 3-2 lead.
But Brandon Montour tied the game with 59.3 seconds to go, and Verhaeghe sealed the deal 8:35 into overtime to send the Bruins into the offseason and the Panthers into the second round.“He just enjoys the game,” Montour said of Verhaeghe. “He makes so many little plays and he has one heck of a shot. Anytime I get a chance to give it to that kid, he puts it in the net.”
Here are three key factors that led to the Panthers’ historic comeback:
Matthew Tkachuk shines under pressure
The Panthers needed their stars to shine and Tkachuk shined the brightest when it mattered the most.
After spearheading Florida’s series comeback with a Game 5 OT winner, Tkachuk scored the game-tying goal in Game 6. He even picked up the secondary assist on Verhaeghe’s overtime winner in Game 7.“If that was the first time we’ve seen Matthew do something like that, we would say ‘Oh, what a great time to step up.’ Except it’s almost routine for him,” Maurice said. “He has the ability to stay focused in these games. He’s had an ascension into that truly elite category of player and he keeps reinforcing it in the playoffs.”
Tkachuk ended his first playoff series as a Panther with the second-most points in a series in franchise history, scoring five goals and 11 points. That number only trails Verhaeghe’s six-goal, 12-point performance against the Washington Capitals last season.
Brandon Montour on the money in Game 7
Montour started off the scoring in regulation and tied the game up with time winding down to help send the game to overtime.
After a breakout regular season — doubling his career-high point total, Montour scored the most goals in a playoff series in NHL history.
His five goals came at crucial moments — with his two-goal performance in Game 2 proving crucial in keeping the Panthers from getting swept and his opener in Game 6 giving Florida the edge in a major shootout.
Montour’s development into one of the best defensemen in the NHL has continued to be huge for the Panthers.“It’s not just confidence, it’s experience, too,” Maurice said. “It’s not just ‘hey, I’m feeling good, I’m going to be a great player.’ He has built a game now that I think he understands. He has some really high-hand talent, he skates like nobody else but he’s a gamer, too. He’s driving, he’s up and down the bench barking, he wants to win.”
Finnish Young Guns help finish the job
Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen each stepped up big time in Games 6 and 7 to help the Panthers get over the hump.
Luostarinen, 25, was the hero in Game 6, scoring the game-winner with 5:38 to go in regulation. He added another primary assist in Game 7 on Sam Reinhart’s goal to initially give the Panthers a 2-0 lead.
Lundell, 21, had two assists in each of Games 6 and 7 in a breakout performance. His defensive play with the Bruins pushing for an insurance goal late in the third period Sunday proved to be crucial in Florida’s comeback.
“We are going to need that,” Maurice said of his two Finns’ style of play. “It’s not going to be a coast-to-coast play; it’s too hard of a game. I think it’s going to be a guy who is so determined to get the puck to the net who will make the difference.”
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida Panthers eliminate Boston Bruins in Stanley Cup playoffs
