NHL: Matthew Tkachuk scores game winner with 4.9 seconds left as Panthers reach Stanley Cup Finals

Matthew Tkachuk netted a game winner in the dying seconds of regulation to ensure his team’s sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals, as the Florida Panthers progressed to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1996. 

Tkachuk, who plays either on the left or right wing for the Panthers, scored a power-play goal with 4.9 seconds remaining in Game 4 on Wednesday in South Florida. His second goal of the night came barely after players on the Hurricanes thought they had potentially salvaged their season by levelling score (3-3) with 3:22 left. 

What’s more is that Tkachuk’s already scored twice against Carolina in the series, both in overtime to end Games 1 and 2 in wins for Florida.

The Panthers will now play either Las Vegas or Dallas for the Stanley Cup starting sometime next week; Vegas currently leads the Western Conference title series 3-0.

The Panthers scored 10 goals in the series, and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky ensured those were all they needed, as he stopped 36 shots to cap off a brilliant playoff run that continued the team’s stunning rise from No. 8 seed to East champions.

Tkachuk celebrates after scoring the game winner to book Florida’s spot in Stanley Cup Finals

Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (16) celebrates with The Prince of Wales Trophy

Only two other No. 8 seeds have gone on to appear in the Stanley Cup Finals — the 2012 L.A. Kings and Edmonton Oilers in 2006. The Kings went on to be claimed NHL champions that year while the Oilers fell short, losing to the Hurricanes in seven. 

On Wednesday night, Ryan Lomberg and Anthony Duclair had the other goals for Florida, which swept a series for the first time in franchise history.

Jordan Staal – his brothers Eric and Marc play for the Panthers – took a tripping penalty with 57 seconds left in regulation, setting up the power-play that Tkachuk finished off.

Jesper Fast seemed like he might have saved the season for Carolina, getting a tying goal with 3:22 left in regulation. Paul Stastny and Teuvo Teravainen had the first two goals of the night for the Hurricanes, while Brady Skjei and Jordan Martinook each had two assists.

Jesper Fast thought he might’ve saved Carolina’s season after tying the game with 3:22 left

An official separates Tkachuk (L) and Hurricanes defenseman Brent Burns (R) in the first period

But the night – the series, too – belonged to the Panthers. They were swept by Colorado in the 1996 final.

The tone was set early. Duclair scored 41 seconds into the contest, and not even a minute later Florida’s Sam Bennett delivered a hard hit – but clean, in the sense that it drew no penalty – to Carolina’s Jaccob Slavin behind the Hurricanes’ net.

Towels waved, strobe lights flashed, and the fans wasted no time letting the Panthers know that they were ready to a clincher.

Tkachuk made it 2-0 on the power play midway through the first. Carolina – a 113-point, division-championship-winning team in the regular season – made it 2-1 later in the first on Stastny’s goal, and Teravainen tied it early in the second.

Lomberg’s goal midway through the second gave Florida the lead again. It stayed that way until Fast got the equalizer with 3:22 left, and then Tkachuk finished it off – getting the Panthers to the title round in his first season.

Prior to Wednesday’s game, Panthers General Manager Bill Zito was announced earlier as a finalist for NHL GM of the year.