Home / News / Panthers defeat Hurricanes 3-2 with 12.7 seconds left in the fourth overtime – the sixth-longest game in NHL history

Panthers defeat Hurricanes 3-2 with 12.7 seconds left in the fourth overtime – the sixth-longest game in NHL history

By Ian Oland

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May 19, 2023 3:05 am

The Florida Panthers defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in the fourth overtime to take a 1-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference Final.

Game One lasted a marathon 2 hours and 19 minutes and 47 seconds. It was the sixth-longest game in NHL history — replacing Game Four of the Capitals-Penguins from 1996 as the longest four-overtime game.

“That’s the worst way to lose,” Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour admitted. “There’s no way around that.”

The Panthers-Hurricanes game started on Thursday and ended on Friday at 1:54 am. Fans were captured on camera asleep.

Matthew Tkachuk scored the game-winner 12.7 seconds remaining in the fourth overtime after roofing a shot past Frederik Andersen. Tkachuk celebrated by excitedly pointing toward the tunnel to locker room at the other end of the ice because he was so exhausted.

“My favorite one in life,” Tkachuk said of his sudden-death goal. “Big to not let it go to five overtimes there.”

He added to Sportsnet, “I’m excited to get out of here. I’m excited to catch that 2:35 am bus (and get) back to the hotel, get some sleep and food in us. Guys were cracking Red Bulls before the fourth overtime… It was actually pretty funny seeing it.”

Panthers defenseman Brandon Montour led all skaters in ice time, playing nearly an entire hour (57:27).

“Shocking. A few guys, there were a few pizza slices gone. I don’t know about that one,” Montour said smiling to TNT’s Jackie Redmond after the game. “Get some bananas in you, some fruits, some sugars and caffeine. Started slowly to cramp at the end there. It’s all fun. We enjoy that.”

Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 63 of 65 shots (.969 save percentage) to improve his record to 8-2 in the postseason.

“It kinda becomes the game of attrition,” Bobrovsky said. “You’re trying to be patient and wait for the moment. One shot at a time. You don’t think too ahead. You just stay with the moment. You try to do your best to keep the puck out of the net.”

The Panthers originally thought they won early in the first overtime after Ryan Lomberg beat Andersen with a shot. But after review, officials determined that Colin White “had a significant presence in the crease and made incidental contact” with Andersen, thus negating the goal.

The Hurricanes took the initial lead in the game after Seth Jarvis connected on a power-play goal to put Carolina up 1-0 with 12 seconds remaining in the first period. Florida responded with two goals in the second from Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe to take the lead. Hurricanes forward Stefan Noesen tied the game 3:47 into the third sending the game to what felt like, never-ending overtimes.

The game tested not only players and fans, but TNT’s intermission panel as well. Producers had Wayne Gretzky, Henrik Lundqvist, Paul Bissonnette, and Anson Carter fill time by telling stories from overtime games they played in during their careers.

The Panthers, the Eastern Conference’s eighth seed, continue to own the big moments in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. They improved their record to 5-0 in games that went to overtime. Only four of their postseason wins have been in regulation.

The Panthers have won seven consecutive games on the road – tied for the second most in postseason history.

After being tested against the Leafs during their elimination and playing nearly seven full periods in Game One against the Hurricanes, Bobrovsky became the third goalie over the past 67 years to post consecutive 50-save performances in the playoffs.

There seems to be something special going on with this Panthers’ team. And for those who didn’t fall asleep, it was special – and at times – painful to watch.

Game Two is technically tomorrow at 8 PM.

Screenshot: @FlaPanthers/Twitter

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