The Florida Panthers got here again from a 3-0 deficit on Tuesday of their potential Stanley Cup Finals preview with the Dallas Stars, in the end profitable 4-3 and solidifying their case to be the NHL’s greatest staff.
Florida’s comeback started with a objective from ahead Sam Reinhart on an influence play with 7:08 remaining within the second interval. The rating got here off of assists from middle Aleksander Barkov and ahead Matthew Tkachuk.
The Panthers (45-17-4, first in Jap Convention) scored their second objective on one other energy play with 8:51 remaining in regulation when middle Carter Cerhaeghe blasted the puck towards the online and Barkov deflected it in.
Lower than three minutes later, Tkachuk recorded his 53rd help of the season when he launched the puck from the blue line after Florida gained a faceoff. Ahead Sam Bennett was there to make sure it bought previous goalie Jake Oettinger.
It solely took Florida 38 seconds from there to take the lead as Barkov took benefit of one other energy play with a wrist-shot objective, his 18th of the season.
Dallas (40-18-9, second in Western Convention) had its personal possibilities on the facility play, however solely scored one objective in 5 alternatives whereas Florida scored three objectives in its 4 tries.
Per ESPNBet, the Panthers (+650) are the favourite to win this yr’s Stanley Cup. They’ve a three-point lead on the Bruins within the Atlantic Division standings and an NHL-best plus-65 objective differential.
Final season, Florida reached the finals and misplaced to the Vegas Golden Knights in 5 video games.
If the Panthers win the President’s Trophy for greatest general regular-season document, which it bought one step nearer to on Tuesday, they may search to change into the primary staff because the 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks to additionally win the Stanley Cup in the identical season.
