Carter Verhaeghe scored 4:27 into overtime to give the host Florida Panthers a crucial 3-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday in Sunrise, Fla.
The Golden Knights lead the best-of-seven series 2-1. Game 4 will be played Saturday in Florida.
Verhaeghe and Matthew Tkachuk each collected a goal and an assist and Brandon Montour also scored for the Panthers. Tkachuk tied the game with 2:13 left in regulation after Florida pulled goalie Sergei Bobrovsky for an extra attacker.
Bobrovsky stopped 25 shots in a strong performance, his biggest a late-third-period save on Michael Amadio that kept it one-goal game.
Verhaeghe unloaded a long wrist shot from just inside the blue line for the winner at 4:27 of the extra frame. It was his seventh of the playoffs and fourth career overtime marker.
Mark Stone and Jonathan Marchessault both collected one goal and one assist for Vegas. Goaltender Adin Hill made 20 saves.
The Panthers have a 7-0 overtime record during the playoffs. Vegas has a 3-2 mark when going beyond regulation.
Having dropped the first two games of the series, Florida received a much-needed quick start when Montour found the mark from the high slot at 4:08 of the first period. It was his seventh goal of the playoffs, but first in 11 games.
With 10 points in the playoffs, Montour has set a franchise record for defensemen.
Stone’s power-play goal at 16:03 of the first tied the clash. While on a four-on-three-advantage, Stone set up shop at the doorstep and deflected Marchessault’s shot for his eighth goal of the playoffs.
Marchessault netted another Vegas power-play goal to put the visitors ahead 2-1 at 14:59 of the second frame. His one-timer from the left faceoff dot resulted in his 13th goal of the playoffs, all in the past 13 games, and his fourth of this series.
Marchessault, who was claimed by Vegas from Florida in the 2017 expansion draft, has scored in four consecutive and seven of the past eight contests.
As it appeared Vegas would take a commanding series lead, Tkachuk tied the clash late in regulation. Tkachuk, who missed most of the first period after being on the receiving end of a hard check, buried a loose puck.
Tkachuk has 11 postseason goals, a Panthers record for a single playoff year.
Vegas has scored two power-play goals in all three games in the finals, while the Panthers are 0-for-12 with the man advantage.
–Field Level Media
