NHL Short Notes

* The Panthers have built a reputation of clawing back over the last few seasons and after doing so to claim their first-ever Stanley Cup Final victory, Florida now eyes a Game 4 win to draw even before the series shifts back to Las Vegas.

* In addition to Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe, Sergei Bobrovsky and Sam Bennett have been key contributors for the Panthers in overtime this postseason and can etch their name in Stanley Cup Playoffs history if the Panthers compete in another game beyond regulation.

* The usual suspects have helped the Golden Knights bounce back throughout the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs and now Adin Hill, Jonathan Marchessault and Jack Eichel will look to set up the second potential Cup-clinching game ever played on The Las Vegas Strip – this time in favor of the hosts.

‘COMEBACK CATS’ CONTINUING TO LIVE UP TO THEIR REPUTATION

The Panthers have officially entered the 2023 Stanley Cup Final after late-game heroics from Matthew Tkachuk tied Game 3 with 2:13 remaining in regulation and Carter Verhaeghe scored 4:27 into overtime. Florida and come-from-behind wins have gone hand-in-hand through the past four seasons, helping the franchise establish its alter ego: “The Comeback Cats.”

* The Panthers have collected an NHL-leading 79 regular-season comeback wins dating to 2019-20, a stretch that includes four instances of the team overcoming a four-goal deficit to win. Those instances were coupled together and each happened within a span of nine days or fewer – in November 2019, the club staged four-goal comeback wins nine days apart (Nov. 12 and Nov. 21) and one-upped themselves 17 months later by needing only three days from one four-goal comeback to the next (April 2 and April 5).

* All four of Verhaeghe’s overtime goals in the Stanley Cup Playoffs have sealed a comeback win for the Panthers (also Game 4 of 2022 R1, Game 6 of 2022 R1 & Game 7 of 2023 R1). In fact, his nine total game-winning goals in comeback wins (regular season & playoffs combined) are the most among all Florida skaters since joining the club in 2020-21.

* Tkachuk enters Game 4 with six total game-winning goals in comeback wins during the 2022-23 regular season and playoffs combined. Only five active players have had more in a single year: Joe Pavelski (8 in 2015-16 w/ SJS), Steven Stamkos (7 in 2021-22 & 2011-12 w/ TBL), Chris Kreider (7 in 2021-22 w/ NYR), Jason Robertson (7 in 2021-22 w/ DAL) and Sean Monahan (7 in 2017-18 w/ CGY).

* The first-year Panthers forward has continued to produce a flair for the dramatic during the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs following his winning goal with 13 seconds remaining in the fourth overtime period in Game 1 of the Conference Finals and his series-clinching goal with less than five seconds left in regulation six days later in Game 4.

WILL FLORIDA DRAW EVEN ON HOME ICE?

The Panthers and Golden Knights will take to the ice at FLA Live Arena again Saturday for Game 4, with the former looking to guarantee a Game 6 and another outing back in Sunrise, Florida this postseason. The 2017 Predators (vs. PIT), 2011 Bruins (vs. VAN), 2010 Flyers (vs. CHI), 2009 Penguins (vs. DET) and 2003 Ducks (vs. NJD) are the only teams in the past 30 years to even the Stanley Cup Final at two games apiece after dropping the first two contests of the series on the road.

2017 Stanley Cup Final
* The Predators returned to the home confines of Bridgestone Arena for Games 3 and 4 after winning seven of their first eight games there leading up to the Stanley Cup Final, with their only loss coming in overtime during Game 4 of the Conference Finals versus Anaheim.

* In Game 3, Roman Josi (1-2—3) factored on three of five unanswered goals en route to matching a franchise playoff record for points in a game by a defenseman – a mark P.K. Subban (1-2—3 in Game 1 of R2) established earlier that year. In Game 4, Frederick Gaudreau netted the winner for the second time in as many outings and became the 12th player in the expansion era (since 1967-68) to register the winning goal in consecutive contests during the Final; while Jake Guentzel achieved the feat for Pittsburgh during Games 1 and 2, the last player to do so before 2017 was Daniel Paille in 2013 (Games 2 & 3 w/ BOS).

BOBROVSKY, BENNETT CONTINUE TO HELP FLORIDA’S OVERTIME FORTUNES

Aside from Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe, Sergei Bobrovsky and Sam Bennett have also played pivotal roles throughout Florida’s overtime success during the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs:

* Bobrovsky finished Game 3 with 25 saves, including two in the extra frame, as he earned his 11th consecutive playoff overtime win dating to Game 2 of the 2019 Second Round with Columbus and his seventh straight in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He became the third goaltender in NHL history with at least seven consecutive overtime wins in a single postseason, joining Patrick Roy (10 in 1993 w/ MTL) and Jean-Sebastien Giguere (7 in 2003 w/ ANA) – each of whom went on to win the Conn Smythe Trophy that year.

* Bennett (4-9—13 in 18 GP) collected a primary assist on Verhaeghe’s overtime goal in Game 3 and now has 1-4—5 at FLA Live Arena this postseason. Bennett, competing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the seventh time in his career and fifth consecutive season, has assisted on four of Florida’s seven overtime goals during this championship chase and sits tied with Tkachuk and three others for the most overtime points in a single postseason in NHL history.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS LOOK TO BOUNCE BACK IN GAME 4

The Golden Knights led for much of Game 3 but fell victim to a late Panthers rally. They now have their sights set on Game 4 as they look to take a 3-1 series lead.

* As a team, the Golden Knights are averaging 4.40 goals per game in contests immediately following a loss in 2023 – the highest among all teams (next closest: EDM, BOS & SEA, 4.00 GF/GP). Their 2.00 goals against per game in contests immediately following a loss is tied with the Avalanche and Maple Leafs for the second fewest among all teams and trailing only the Hurricanes (1.83 GA/GP).

* Adin Hill has tended the crease three times after losing this postseason and has rebounded with a victory twice (2-1, 2.38 GAA, .924 SV%, 1 SO). Following a defeat in Game 5 of the Conference Finals, he joined New Jersey’s Akira Schmid (Game 7 of R1) as the second goaltender this postseason to rebound from a loss with a shutout.

* Vegas is 4-1 in games following a loss this postseason, thanks in part to the play of Jonathan Marchessault (3-5—8 in 5 GP) and Jack Eichel (3-5—8 in 5 GP). Their 1.60 points per game in that scenario is tied for the fourth highest in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs (min. 5 GP) behind only Connor McDavid (2.00 P/GP; 3-7—10 in 5 GP), Leon Draisaitl (1.80 P/GP; 5-4—9 in 5 GP) and Roope Hintz (1.63 P/GP; 5-8—13 in 8 GP).

NHL SCOUTING COMBINE CONCLUDES SATURDAY IN BUFFALOThe 2023 NHL Scouting Combine presented by adidas will conclude Saturday in Buffalo with fitness testing. On Friday, Connor Bedard (No. 1 ranked NA Skater), Adam Fantilli (No. 2 ranked NA Skater) and Leo Carlsson (No. 1 ranked International Skater) each spoke to the media about their time at Combine.