Hurricanes Beat Panthers in Marathon Game

Stefan Noesen of Carolina scored with 3:47 left in the third period to tie Game 1 of the Hurricanes—Florida Panthers NHL Stanley Cup Eastern Conference Semifinals May 18th to tie the score at 2-2. The third period ended and the two were tied, so the game would be decided in overtime. Not an unusual situation, bet the difference in the playoffs is that the teams will play 20 minute periods at 5 on 5 strength (except during penalties) until a sudden death winning goal is scored, not the regular season 3 on 3 for five minutes until there is a sudden death goal, and then going to a shootout if no goal is scored in those five minutes.

There was no scoring in the 1st overtime. There was no scoring in the 2nd overtime. There was no scoring in the 3rd overtime. There was no scoring in the 4th overtime until Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk broke the deadlock with just 13 seconds left in the 4th OT, scoring the winning goal on a shot from the right face off circle in the Carolina zone for a 3-2 Panthers victory. It is the sixth longest game in NHL history. The public address announcer at Bank of America Stadium in Raleigh apologized for the late hour after the end of the third overtime.

In a lengthy game of multiple overtimes, the goal tending is stellar, or there wouldn’t be games this long. But of course, one had to lose, and Carolina’s Frederick Andersen was that guy, despite saving 57 of 60 shots on goal. Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky saved 63 of 65 shots to pick up the win.

Florida takes a 1-0 lead in the series. The two are back at it at 8:00 Eastern on May 20th, less than 48 hours after the exhausting overtime thriller. On the positive side, Game 2 is in Raleigh again, so at least there’s no travel involved.