Verhaeghe-Bennett combo is Panthers’ secret weapon. And Barkov’s quietly excellent Final
The Florida Panthers’ lines churn every time they finish a penalty kill and it has turned into something of a secret weapon for the Eastern Conference champions.
The Panthers finished killing off a power play in the opening minutes of overtime in Game 3 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Final on Thursday and the wheel started spinning, until it landed on Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk, and they did what they always seem to do. Bennett set up Verhaeghe, Tkachuk crashed to the net and Verhaeghe ripped a game-winning goal past Adin Hill for his second overtime goal of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs.
“Just put Benny on the ice, and he’ll give you the puck in a good spot and you score,” Verhaeghe said after the overtime win Thursday. “I think he has passed the puck on every single goal.”
Verhaeghe isn’t too far off.
With his second overtime goal of the postseason, Verhaeghe became the first player in NHL history to score multiple overtime goals in back-to-back Stanley Cup playoffs and Bennett has assisted on three of his four, including both this year. What makes this so incredible is those two have only played 53:27 together during 5-on-5 play in these playoffs, yet Florida has managed to score nine goals in those minutes.
The line with those two and Tkachuk has been one of the most prolific of the Cup playoffs, with the Panthers outscoring opponents 8-1 in fewer than 41 5-on-5 minutes together.
Every other forward line to produce at least six 5-on-5 goals in this postseason has played at least 70 minutes together.
“They’re pretty easy to play with,” Verhaeghe said. “When we play together, we’re kind of all bringing something a little different to the line, whether it’s speed, or physicality or making good plays. Everybody brings something a little unique.”
Verhaeghe ends up often being the finisher because of his speed and shooting ability. Bennett and Tkachuk are both deft playmakers, and extraordinarily physical, so they wind up often setting up the left wing both as passers and by setting screens in front of the net.
Although Verhaeghe’s line with All-Star center Aleksander Barkov and right wing Anthony Duclair has been too good to break up, Florida will keep finding ways to get Verhaeghe, Bennett and Tkachuk on the ice together. None of those three are fixtures in the penalty-killing rotation, so the Panthers get their chances to use them after those man-down situations, when Barkov has typically put in a minute-plus of hard work and gets a breather.
“He gets very prolific for a period of time,” coach Paul Maurice said of Verhaeghe. “It doesn’t matter who he plays with.”
Barkov produces, even without points
Barkov didn’t record a point in any of the first three games of the Stanley Cup Final, but it doesn’t mean he still hasn’t been one of the best players on the ice.
In Barkov’s 37:07 of 5-on-5 time in the first three games of the Cup Final, Florida had a 50-28 advantage on the Vegas Golden Knights in shot attempts — the best differential of any skater, in terms of percentage, in the championship series.
What it means is the Panthers are commanding possession time when their captain is on the ice. Florida also has a 26-14 edge in scoring chances and 1.94-1.2 edge in expected goals in those minutes — both marks rank second in the series among forwards behind only Duclair, who plays more than 80 percent of his 5-on-5 minutes with Barkov.
The 27-year-old Finn is doing it through face-off prowess — he was leading the Final at 56.4 percent through the first three games of the series, including 73.3 percent in the defensive zone — and his usual excellence away from the puck, whether it’s on defense or subtle plays on offense. He also ranks second among forwards in time on ice.
Right before Tkachuk scored his game-tying goal with 2:13 left in the third period of Game 3, Barkov beat two Golden Knights for the puck along the boards to keep possession in the offensive zone — Florida’s net was empty to set up a 6-on-5 advantage — and ultimately set up the sequence for the superstar right wing’s latest clutch moment.
“There isn’t anything that he doesn’t do for us — power play, penalty kill, he’s physical now, he’s dominant in the circle and drives a line,” Maurice said. “I understand completely why we look at points and assists as the tell of whether a guy produces for his team. He’s been fantastic.”
Luostarinen remains out for Panthers
Eetu Luostarinen will miss his fourth straight game to start the Final on Saturday at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise as he continues to nurse a lower-body injury.
The forward has not played since the final game of the East finals last month, leaving the Panthers shorthanded for the entirety of the championship so far.
The 24-year-old Finn had been playing left wing on the third line throughout the playoffs and left wing Ryan Lomberg has taken his place in the Final. Luostarinen has two goals, three assists, 14 shots, 13 blocked shots and a plus-minus plus-2 in 16 games this postseason.
Florida has tried two different replacements for Luostarinen: Forward Zac Dalpe entered the lineup for Game 1 last Saturday to play right wing on the fourth line and defenseman Casey Fitzgerald replaced Dalpe for Game 2 on Monday to give the Panthers a lineup with seven defensemen and only 11 forwards. Dalpe, however, went back into the lineup for Game 3 on Thursday.
Luostarinen will get some extra time to try to get back for Game 5, though. After Game 4, the Panthers and Vegas don’t play again until Tuesday, and Florida is planning to practice Monday in Nevada.
