Florida Panthers

The Florida Panthers found what made them the NHL's best regular-season team just in time to win the franchise's first playoff series in 26 years.

Guys had a feeling that if we play our game we’re going to get our chances and we’ll be able to score.” “We’re all happy and (it is) a big relief for us,” Huberdeau said. That mojo provided the confidence the Panthers needed to withstand a tying goal by Washington's T.J. Oshie with 1:03 left in Game 6 and a series-long 0 for 18 drought on the power play. Success came early in the organization's existence with a trip to the Cup Final in its third season. “We held each other accountable, worked really hard for each other and for the guy next to you. Initial nerves at home early in the series faded when Florida started to feel the pressure.

Barely three minutes into overtime, Claude Giroux sent a feed to a driving Carter Verhaeghe, who beat Ilya Samsonov for the game-winner.

“When they tied it up, maybe some guys were down a little bit, I was probably one of them, but the mood was great,” Giroux said. In Game 4, they found themselves down 2-1 after a high-hit from Oshie led to a breakaway and a go-ahead goal the other way. It happened again when Oshie tied the game to send Game 6 to overtime. Unfortunately, he didn’t get to play earlier, but he took advantage of the opportunity.” And in Game 6, he did it again. Six seconds later, a bouncing puck went off T.J. Oshie’s leg and into the net to draw the game even.

WASHINGTON (AP) — When the Florida Panthers faced their first real adversity of the season trailing their playoff series against the Washington Capitals, ...

Guys had a feeling that if we play our game we’re going to get our chances and we’ll be able to score.” “When they tie it up, maybe some guys are down a little bit,” Giroux said. “We’re all happy and (it is) a big relief for us,” Huberdeau said. That mojo provided the confidence the Panthers needed to withstand a tying goal by Washington's T.J. Oshie with 1:03 left in Game 6 and a series-long 0 for 18 drought on the power play. Success came early in the organization's existence with a trip to the Cup Final in its third season. “We held each other accountable, worked really hard for each other and for the guy next to you.

Florida snapped its 26-year playoff series drought with a 4-3 overtime victory over the Washington Capitals in Game 6 Friday night. The Panthers hadn't won a ...

Florida went 0-for-19 against Washington with the extra man, after boasting the league’s fifth-best power play (24.4%) in the regular season. In Game 5, the Capitals held a 3-0 lead too, but they let it slip away to end up with their own backs against the wall. Verhaeghe’s game-winner for Florida was his sixth goal of the postseason. Florida snapped its 26-year playoff series drought with a 4-3 overtime victory over the Washington Capitals in Game 6 Friday night. While Florida finally earned a playoff series victory, Washington just keeps bowing out of the playoffs early. Florida dominated the league offensively from the get-go and topped out at a franchise-record 122 points.

The beat the Capitals in six games and now face the winner of the Lightning-Maple Leafs series.

This year, I think we were extremely close to being 100 percent everyone on board, and we let three games (in the series) get away from us.” Trade-deadline acquisition Claude Giroux and Barkov scored in the third period to put the Panthers ahead 3-2. Florida looked to be on the verge of a regulation victory when Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling tripped Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom with 1:09 left in the third period. Those fans were silent after Verhaeghe scored his sixth goal of the series in overtime. “It means a lot,” Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov said of ending the drought. “It’s not there anymore, so we’re happy about that and happy to be a part of it.

The florida panthers core of barkov, huberdeau, ekblad finally move on in stanley cup playoff after beating washington capitals in game 6.

Swagieux had a hell of a series and we owe it to him, two huge OT goals. ”We talked about it,” Claude Giroux said. It feels great but at the same time, I know there is a lot of work to do. “You have to have heartbreaks and things that don’t go your way. I feel we have some momentum here.” You can find how hard it is and understand it and be resilient. These guys played hard all series long and tonight was up-and-down all night. “I am happy for those guys and proud of those guys. “It feels good,’’ Huberdeau said. During my nine-year career here, I haven’t been to the second round. Proud of those guys, excited for them and our whole group moving forward.” Right now, we enjoy this and get back to work tomorrow.

Carter Verhaeghe's goal 2:46 into overtime gave the Florida Panthers a series-clinching 4-3 victory over the host Washington Capitals in Game 6 of their ...

Jeff Carter, Bryan Rust and Evgeni Malkin scored for the Penguins, and Domingue made 33 saves. Mika Zibanejad had two goals and two assists while Adam Fox had four assists for the Rangers, who have won two straight to even the series. Nic Dowd, Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie all scored for Washington, with all three players coming close to hero status. Claude Giroux had a goal and two assists, fueling the Panthers' third consecutive comeback win. With a goal and an assist in Game 6, Verhaeghe led all players with 12 points (six goals, six assists) in the series. Verhaeghe also scored the overtime winner in Game 4, adding to a spectacular series for the Panthers forward.

Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau, Sergei Bobrovsky and Andrew Brunette all answered major questions as Florida won its first postseason series since ...

It was a long way from last year, when Bobrovsky gave up 10 goals on 63 shots and got benched after three games in the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs. In Game 6, he benched winger Anthony Duclair — a 30-goal scorer — in favor of Ryan Lomberg and the left wing, playing for the first time since Game 1, scored a game-tying goal in the second period. Verhaeghe set a single-season franchise record with 12 points and Giroux was second on the team with seven points. The 48-year-old Canadian coached the forwards and ran the power play for more than two seasons and then replaced Quenneville in the first month of the season when the former coach had to resign amid revelations about his mishandling of a 2010 sexual-assault allegation while he was coaching the Chicago Blackhawks. In the series, Barkov led the Panthers with 22 shots on goal and was tied for the best plus-minus among forwards, scoring two goals and adding four assists. If the Panthers could just hold on for the final 5:43, Barkov would get to be the hero because he fired a potential series-winning goal into the back of the net — off a feed from versatile All-Star forward Claude Giroux — to give Florida its first lead of the game.

While Miami Heat veteran Udonis Haslem's main focus is now the Heat's efforts in the postseason, he's also expressing enthusiasm for the playoff run of the ...

Haslem has been a part of all three of the Heat’s NBA titles. While Haslem is keeping an eye on the Panthers, he’s zeroing in on the Heat’s own playoff run. “The way they have been able to play this year has captivated my attention.”