When a game goes this deep into the night, the goalies generally play an important role.
Sergei Bobrovsky and Freddie Andersen went toe-to-toe in the opening game of the Eastern Conference Final, which ended up being the longest game in franchise history for both the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers.
By the time Matthew Tkachuk played the role of quadruple overtime hero with just 12.7 seconds to go in the seventh period, both Bobrovsky and Andersen had racked up a ridiculous amount of saves – with 63 for the former and 57 for the latter.
Bobrovsky was tackled to the ice by teammate Gustav Forsling after a 3-2 victory that gave the Panthers a 1-0 series lead, with Game 2 set for Saturday night at PNC Arena.
It’s impossible to measure the toll a lengthy game like this is going to have on every single player that suited up in this game, but it’s the goaltenders who will face the most significant toll.
Fortunately for both teams, Alex Lyon and Antti Raanta have the confidence of their respective coaching staffs, should either backup be called upon to enter into the series.
As for Tkachuk, it was a relatively quiet night for the Panthers’ leading scorer, but he came up with his sixth goal of the post-season on what was his third shot on goal and eighth shot attempt.
“I’m excited to get out of here,” Tkachuk said after the game with a big smile on his face. “I’m excited to catch that 2:35 bus back to the hotel and get some sleep and get some food and everything. There’s guys cracking Red Bulls before the fourth overtime, there’s pizza flowing. It was actually pretty funny seeing it.”
To score the winner, the Panthers took advantage of a D-zone turnover by the Hurricanes, as Sam Bennett picked the puck off the wall and quickly found Tkachuk, who ripped home a quick shot over the glove of Andersen and then exploded in celebration.
“At the end of the day, it’s one game,” Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour told reporters in Raleigh, N.C. “Listen, it’s the worst way to lose, there’s no way around it. We’ll regroup and come back at it again in the next one.”
THE DISALLOWED GOAL
The Panthers thought they had ended it 2:35 into the first overtime as Ryan Lomberg fired home a shot from the slot.
But after video review, it was determined that there was goalie interference on the play as Panthers forward Colin White made contact with the right skate of Andersen inside the blue paint.
Since Andersen didn’t have an opportunity to reset, the goal was disallowed and the two teams played on.
While there was definitely contact made by Hurricanes forward Jack Drury before the skates of White and Andersen locked, White initially went into the crease on his own, which was one of the reasons Lomberg’s potential game-winner was taken off the board.
Several disgruntled Hurricanes fans had started to make their way to the exits before realizing the play was under review. Hopefully nobody left the building before it was too late.
Lomberg was back in the lineup for the first time since suffering a hand injury in Game 4 of the opening-round series with the Boston Bruins and he provided plenty of energy in his 19:15 of action, skating mostly on the fourth line.
MINUTE MUNCHERS
Brandon Montour was one of three Panthers blue-liners to eclipse 50 minutes, leading all players with 57:27 of ice time on a whopping 65 shifts (averaging 53 seconds).
Montour’s D-partner Gustav Forsling logged 56:10, while Aaron Ekblad took 65 shifts for 52:10.
The Panthers also had six players with more than 40 minutes of ice time, including captain Aleksander Barkov, who had 43:51 of ice time and took 55 draws in the game (winning 55% of them).
Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal entered the circle to take 51 draws (also winning 55% of them).
Of the 46 hits recorded by the Panthers, defenceman Radko Gudas was credited with 12 of them.
Speaking of big numbers, Panthers winger Carter Verhaeghe chipped in a goal and an assist while recording six shots on goal and recording 17 shot attempts.
The only player with more shot attempts than Verhaeghe was Hurricanes centre Sebastian Aho, who had six shots and 18 shot attempts during his 45:56 of ice time (which led all forwards in the game).
The Hurricanes had two D-men over 50 minutes, the top pairing of Brent Burns (54:43) and Jaccob Slavin (51:41) and another four players eclipse 40 minutes.
That only heightens the importance of recovery over the next day or so as the push towards reaching the Stanley Cup Final continues.
Panthers head coach Paul Maurice even showed concern for the safety of his players after the game concluded.
“At some point, you’re wondering how long can these men push this hard for without it becoming dangerous,” said Maurice.
THE SNEAK ATTACK
With just over 40 seconds to go in the first OT, Montour nearly took advantage of a crazy bounce.
As the puck ended up at the right point, Andersen was hugging the far post, leaving a good portion of the net open but Montour’s shot of the rolling puck ended up hitting an unsuspecting Andersen.
Although replays showed that the Montour shot was probably sailing wide, the Panthers D-man looked to the sky in disbelief, realizing the opportunity to win the game was a glorious one.
Early in the sixth period, Montour had another glorious chance to win it, unloading a slapper that Andersen turned aside.
Then at the end of a shift that nearly lasted three minutes (2:49 to be exact), Montour found himself all alone in front of the net but couldn’t convert his chance on the backhand.
POWERFUL STUFF
Hurricanes winger Stefan Noesen seemed to be in the middle of everything in this one, playing a prototypical power forward game and finishing with five shots on goal, nine shot attempts and five hits in his 38:47 of action.
Not only did Noesen deliver the power play marker that sent the game to overtime, but he was also on the receiving end of the cross-check from Panthers D-man Aaron Ekblad that gave the Hurricanes a two-man advantage late in the first period.
Noesen was doing a good job of disrupting things just outside the blue paint in front of Bobrovsky before Ekblad knocked him to the ice – though the replay showed Noesen may have sold it a bit.
That was certainly the opinion of Ekblad and Panthers head coach Paul Maurice.
The Panthers’ frustration only grew when Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis scored during the 5-on-3.
Jarvis, the 13th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, added an assist on Noesen’s goal and then nearly ended it in OT but his shot rattled off the crossbar.
The 12th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, Panthers centre Anton Lundell, is also involved in this series and he had two glorious chances to win the game in the fourth OT – one on a deflection that may not have counted because of a high stick and another on a 2-on-1 rush that was thwarted by Andersen.
