MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) – On the mistaken aspect of a comeback effort this time, the Florida Panthers rebounded in extra time and made certain they wouldn’t must go residence to complete their first-round collection.
Carter Verhaeghe scored the OT winner to ship the Panthers to the second spherical by beating the Washington Capitals 4-3 in Game 6 Friday night time. It’s the franchise’s first playoff collection victory since 1996 when Florida reached the Stanley Cup Final.
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The Panthers are nonetheless eight wins from getting again to the ultimate, however they’ll have home-ice benefit for his or her subsequent collection in opposition to both the cross-state rival Tampa Bay Lightning or the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Florida on the verge of a regulation victory when Gustav Forsling tripped Nicklas Backstrom with 1:09 left within the third interval. T.J. Oshie scored 6 seconds into the Washington energy play to ship the sellout crowd of over 18,000 right into a frenzy.
Those followers have been silent after Verhaeghe scored his sixth objective of the collection 2:46 into extra time. Verhaeghe, Florida’s main scorer within the collection, missed the morning skate and was thought of a game-time resolution.
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Trade-deadline acquisition Claude Giroux and captain Aleksander Barkov scored within the third interval to place the Panthers forward. Ryan Lomberg scored Florida’s first objective, tying it 2:29 after Nic Dowd obtained the Capitals on the board.
Lomberg scoring validated interim coach Andrew Brunette’s resolution to insert him into the lineup instead of Anthony Duclair, who scored 31 targets in the course of the common season however had only one shot on objective thus far within the collection. The Panthers want offense wherever they will get it after once more failing to attain on the facility play and increasing their drought to 0 of 18 within the collection.
Their most up-to-date collection win got here June 1, 1996, after they beat Pittsburgh in Game 7 to advance to the ultimate. The Panthers obtained swept by Colorado, beginning what would start a 26-year wait between collection victories.
Other than the growth Seattle Kraken, each different NHL franchise had gained a minimum of two collection throughout that span. Detroit gained 27, Pittsburgh 24, Tampa Bay 22 and Colorado gained 20. Florida stored ready and ready for only one, till Friday.
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The Capitals haven’t gained a playoff collection since hoisting the Cup in 2018 and obtained knocked out within the first spherical at residence for the third time in that span.