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The Florida Panthers are heading to the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight year. On Wednesday night, they edged past the Carolina Hurricanes 5-3 in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final at Lenovo Center. The Panthers now await the winner between the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars.
Verhaeghe’s Late Goal Seals the Victory
With the score tied at 3-3 in the third period, Carter Verhaeghe broke the deadlock at 12:21. Team captain Aleksander Barkov made a brilliant backhand pass from behind the net. Verhaeghe was ready at the right post and buried it to give Florida a 4-3 lead. That goal proved to be the game-winner.
Bennett Puts It Away
Sam Bennett, Florida’s top playoff scorer, secured the win with a late empty-net goal. With just 54 seconds left on the clock, he netted his 10th goal of the postseason. The scoreline read 5-3, and the Panthers celebrated yet another trip to the Final.
Panthers Chase Back After Early Deficit
Carolina started strong. The Hurricanes took a 2-0 lead in the first period, with both goals coming from Sebastian Aho. His first came on a breakaway after stealing a pass at center ice. His second was a slick wrist shot from the right circle after a misplay in the neutral zone.
But Florida didn’t stay down for long.
Second Period Turnaround
The Panthers stormed back in the second period, scoring twice within 30 seconds. First, Matthew Tkachuk tipped in Aaron Ekblad’s shot on a power play to cut the lead to 2-1. Moments later, Evan Rodrigues set up Bennett, who returned the favor with a pass back. Rodrigues buried it to level the game at 2-2.
Just minutes later, Anton Lundell added another. Winning an offensive zone faceoff, he moved to the crease and scored on a backhand after a slick pass from Brad Marchand. Florida now led 3-2.
Carolina Fights Back
The Hurricanes weren't done yet. At 8:30 in the third, Seth Jarvis collected a loose puck tipped by Andrei Svechnikov. From the right circle, Jarvis shot across the crease to tie the game at 3-3. The crowd came alive again, but their hopes didn’t last long.
Bobrovsky Holds Strong
Florida’s goalie Sergei Bobrovsky made 20 saves in the win. Though Aho gave him trouble early, Bobrovsky bounced back with key stops in the second and third periods. He kept Florida ahead once Verhaeghe scored the go-ahead goal.
Injury Concerns for Florida
The Panthers suffered a blow when forward Eetu Luostarinen left the game after the first period due to injury. His status for the Final remains unclear.
Next Stop: Stanley Cup Final
The Panthers, last year’s champions, are back in the Stanley Cup Final. They defeated the Edmonton Oilers in seven games in 2024. This year, they’ll face either the Oilers again or the Dallas Stars. Edmonton currently leads their series 3-1, with Game 5 set for Thursday night.
The Florida Panthers continue to show why they’re a force in NHL playoffs. With resilience, skill, and big-game performers, they're just four wins away from another championship.
