The Florida Panthers won the fifth quarterfinal meeting against Toronto and are now ready for the conference finals. The match was exciting until the end and the Panthers came out victorious with 3–2 after extra time.
Before the fifth quarter-final, the Florida Panthers had a good starting position. The Panthers led the match series 3–1 over the Toronto Maple Leafs and right in the first period the Florida team showed that the will to win was strong.
Three and a half minutes into the first period, the Panthers took the lead in the game. Outnumbered, Aaron Ekblad managed the chance and put the team in the lead.
Before the end of the first period, Florida extended its lead when Carter Verhaeghe scored to make it 2-0.
Florida players celebrate after the goal.
Bild: Magazine photo
Florida Panthers
Toronto reduced and equalized
The Toronto Maple Leafs had not given up the game series but reduced in the second period. Morgan Rielly sent the puck toward the goal from the blue line and it was directed in by a Florida player.
Swede William Nylander tied the match in the third period. The Toronto Swede neatly lifted the puck behind Florida goalkeeper Sergei Bobrovsky and the match went to overtime.
In overtime, the Panthers were a bit sharper and won the game when Nick Cousins decided in a three-on-two situation.
The victory means that Florida plays in the conference finals for the first time since 1996 and faces the Carolina Hurricanes, where several Finns also play.
– Honestly, I don’t even want to talk about the sequel yet. We just want to enjoy this tonight and take a few days and then move on to the Carolina game. It’s a big task but we deserve to enjoy it here. The streak was great even though it was only five games, says Matthew Tkachuk after the game.
Vegas took the lead in the series against Edmonton
In the second NHL game of the night, the Vegas Golden Knight faced the Edmonton Oilers. Before tonight’s meeting, the standings were tied with two wins for each team.
The game was also even, but Vegas pulled away in the second period when they scored three goals.
Conor McDavid reduced it in the third period but Edmonton got no closer than that and the Golden Knights won the game 4–3.
Results:
Toronto–Florida 2–3 (after overtime)
FLA: Alexander Barkov 0+0, +/-0, 26.26
FLA: Anton Lundell 0+0, +/-0, 20.24
FLA: Eetu Luostarinen 0+0, +/-0, 19.38
Florida continues with 4–1 in games.
Vegas–Edmonton 4–3
Vegas leads 3–2 in games.
