Tkachuk shows style, hits 2 wins with the Panthers in the Cup final

RALEIGH, NC — Matthew Tkachuk skated off the PNC Arena ice in style and ease.

Should we expect anything less from the Florida Panthers forward, who has established himself as Public Enemy No. 1 in the Third City for the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs?

In Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday, Tkachuk scored the game-winning, power-play goal with 1:51 left in overtime to give the Panthers a 2-1 win.

Immediately after, Tkachuk fired the puck past the outstretched glove of the Carolina goaltender Antti Raanta 12 seconds against the penalty kick Jesperi Kotkaniemihe made a beeline for the dressing room door, pointed to it, shrugged his shoulders there, and seemingly pissed off the words “Let’s go!”

Tkachuk was halfway down the aisle before his teammates left the ice.

Villains always leave in a hurry, don’t they?

“An old bus in 10 minutes,” Tkachuk said when asked to explain.

He scored a similar goal with 13 seconds left in the fourth overtime period in a 3-2 Game 1 win on Thursday. Understandably, it lacked the flavor of a Game 2 exit after nearly 80 minutes of overtime hockey.

His thought process behind the party?

“Let’s get out of here,” he said. “It’s been a lot of hockey the last two games.”

Successful hockey.

[RELATED: Complete Hurricanes vs. Panthers series coverage]

The Panthers have taken an early stranglehold on the best-of-seven series before Game 3 at FLA Live Arena on Monday (8 p.m. ET, TNT, CBC, SN TVAS).

“We walk onto the field tonight and it feels like we never left,” Florida coach Paul Maurice said after Game 2. “We’ve been on this rink a lot and I think we’re just pretty happy to get two. out of here.”

Teams that have taken a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven series in the round before the Stanley Cup Final win it 90.7 percent of the time (78-8). The Panthers have won two series in their history (2023 second round, 1996 conference quarterfinals) when leading 2-0; the lowest seed in the East this season is two wins from another Stanley Cup Final (1996).

It was the third overtime goal for Tkachuk, who also won Game 5 of the first round at the Boston Bruins, matching the NHL record in a single playoff season (Corey Perry, 2017; Maurice Richard, 1951; Mel Hill, 1939). He has scored four overtime goals, including a side pass Carter Verhaeghe‘s game-winner against the Bruins in Game 7 to tie the second NHL season record held by Jarome Iginla (2004), Adam Oates (2003) and Ray Ferraro (1993). His five assists in the second round (three in Game 1) helped the Panthers eliminate the Toronto Maple Leafs in five games.

“It seems like every time we need a big play, he steps up,” the Florida offense said Nick Cousins said Sunday. “All the credit goes to him. He’s a big-play player. It seems like every time we need a hit, a big play, a goal, it seems like he comes up big, so we’re lucky to have him .”

Tkachuk has 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 14 games, compared to 109 points (40 goals, 69 assists) in 79 games during the regular season. He’s been in nearly every big game since arriving in Florida in a trade with the Calgary Flames on July 22, 2022. He led the Panthers into contention during the regular season and has led the way in every way during the postseason.

“He’s a guy who’s been in the right place at the right time, and he’s done that for us all season,” defenseman. Radko Gud said. “It’s great to watch and a treat to be his teammate. I’m enjoying the ride.

“He’s a great person, and he’s also the glue guy in our room. He came in [this season] and it seems as if he had been five or six years. He does everything right that we need him to do. He leads by example. That’s what you want from your best players.”

Captain Alexander Barkov is also one of the Panthers’ best players. He is sometimes in awe of Tkachuk.

“He’s been huge for us,” Barkov said. “Not just scoring goals, not just playing the game, but everything about being a hockey player on a team, being a team leader.

“He’s done everything as well as he can. He’s incredible.”