Florida Panthers beat Anaheim Ducks 5-4 in overtime
The Florida Panthers made history on Thursday night after completing yet another comeback in a 5-4 win over the Anaheim Ducks.
Last night, the Florida Panthers not only beat the Anaheim Ducks in overtime 5-4, but they also became only the second team in NHL history to overcome a deficit of four goals or more to come back and win twice in one season. The other team that accomplished this feat was the Edmonton Oilers back when Wayne Gretzky was with them.
While I’m obviously ecstatic that we were able to accomplish the comeback, the second one in nine days, I’d obviously like for this type of thing to not be a recurring theme. Let’s get to the recap last night’s incredible game.
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The first goal of the game didn’t come until late in the first period at the 17:15 mark and it was scored by Max Jones and assisted by Jakob Silfverberg and Jacob Larsson to make the score 1-0 Ducks. However, the second period is where the Ducks turned on their jets, but the Panthers would catch fire towards the end of the period.
At the 7:17 mark of the second period, Nick Ritchie, assisted by Ondrej Kase and Erik Gudbranson, made the score 2-0 Ducks. Then at the 15:50 mark, Rickard Rakell, assisted by Cam Fowler and Ryan Getzlaf, made the score 3-0 in favor of the Ducks. Kase made the score 4-0 Ducks.
This was the point of the game where I saw multiple Panthers fans get up from their seats to head towards the exits. I was thinking to myself, “Do you guys not remember the game in Boston where we came from this deficit to come back and win?” I felt a comeback brewing in my bones and that’s just what happened.
14 seconds later at the 18:53 mark, Brett Connolly, assisted by Frank Vatrano, broke the possibility of a shutout for the Panthers to make the score 4-1. Connolly, assisted by Vincent Trocheck and Anton Stralman, scored again at the 19:20 mark to make the score 4-2.
The Ducks still had the lead to end the second period, but that would all change in the third period. Bobrovsky stayed in net. At the 11:55 mark, Aaron Ekblad, assisted by Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov, made the score 43. Then Toninato, assisted by Ekblad and Mike Hoffman, tied up the game for the Panthers to make it 4-4!
Sergei Bobrovsky made an incredible save towards the end of the third period that literally made the mask on his face come off. There was no more scoring for either team in regulation which meant it was time for overtime. It ended quickly too.
The Ducks headed towards our zone but Ekblad quickly intercepted the puck, headed towards the Ducks zone and he shot the puck to win the game at the 22-second mark of overtime with a score of 5-4. That goal was assisted by Barkov and Huberdeau.
Let me end this recap on this note – the attendance last night was in the 11,000 range, but when the Panthers were mounting their comeback and eventually won, that probably 10,500 fans or so that were Panthers fans sounded like a full house. Also, this team is something special. We’re finally on our first three-game win streak of the season and these boys are meshing together as smooth as butter.
The Panthers remain in second place in the Atlantic Division with 29 points behind Boston with 33 points. The one thing to note – the Panthers are now in sixth place in the entire National Hockey League!! This coach, this team, this season is something to marvel at.
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Yes, there are still some things that need to be fixed, but we’re getting there. We’re figuring it out. We’re making our wildest dreams come true and we’re putting the league on notice. The next game for the Panthers is on Saturday night against the Carolina Hurricanes. Let’s keep the win streak going. Let’s make the fan base go crazy. Let’s go Cats!