On the heels of a 139-minute marathon that proved to be the longest recreation in each franchises’ historical past, the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes determined it will be impolite in the event that they did not deal with followers to a different additional time thriller for Game 2 at PNC Arena in Raleigh.
For the second-straight Eastern Conference Finals recreation, the Panthers’ Matthew Tkachuk scored a game-winning additional time shot that despatched the Hurricanes on a despondent stroll to their home-ice locker room and followers to the exits. In the Game 2 matchup, Tkachuk whipped in a feed from Sam Reinhart on the 1:51 mark of additional time to beat the Hurricanes 2-1.
“I simply really feel like we get higher as the sport goes alongside, so hopefully we proceed that development,” Tkachuk mentioned postgame.
TKACHUK ANOTHER WALK OFF WIN 🚨🔥
PANTHERS LEAD SERIES 2-0.pic.twitter.com/5oqbr5aCS1
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 21, 2023
To recap, the Panthers performed two additional time video games amounting to 200 minutes of live-action hockey, which places them simply six wins away from securing a Stanley Cup trophy. Having barely inched into the NHL playoffs because the Eastern Conference eight-seed, the Panthers now have a 2-0 Eastern Conference Finals lead.
As thrilling because the motion has been, it is truthful to say everybody concerned was completely satisfied to take Sunday off from the ice.
Sasha Barkov, everybody. 🥵 #StanleyCup
🇺🇸: @NHL_On_TNT ➡️ https://t.co/LaJpv7c3yx #NHLonTNT
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet ➡️ https://t.co/uEVY6yXLpz pic.twitter.com/hJXub9FRq6— NHL (@NHL) May 21, 2023
After a lot hockey — all the hockey — the Panthers and Hurricanes are taking a much-needed all-expense-paid trip to South Florida.
Well, it is really a enterprise journey for Game 3 of the Conference Finals that can happen at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise tonight at 8:00 p.m.
At least if Game 3 goes into additional time, Panthers gamers will get an opportunity to sleep in their very own beds.
“We are completely satisfied to return residence. And we’re in an excellent scenario, precisely the place we wish to be,” mentioned Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov.