Why Sam Bennett’s goal in Florida’s Game 1 win against Carolina had special meaning
The Florida Panthers were already well on their way to a Game 1 win in the Eastern Conference final against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday when Sam Bennett scored a third-period goal.
The strike came on a simple play, with Bennett rolling up high on the power play and firing a snap shot from the point to give Florida a three-goal lead in its eventual 5-2 win at the Lenovo Center.
But the goal also had special meaning for Bennett, who has been playing for a special cause this season.
At the start of the season, Bennett announced a partnership with the Humane Society of Broward County called “Benny’s Buddies.” Every time Bennett scores a goal this season, he is sponsoring the adoption a dog or cat at the humane society.
Tuesday also happened to be National Rescue Dog Day.
Bennett has now scored 33 goals this season — 25 in the regular season, a team-leading seven this playoffs and one for Team Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off. That’s 33 animals whose adoption fees have been paid.
“We’ve had so much success with Benny’s Buddies this year and got tons of support,” Bennett said. “It’s growing a lot, and we’re getting tons of traction, tons of cats and dogs have gotten adopted this year. I think there’s even more to come with that program. Definitely really excited about it.”
Bennett and his fiancee Zoe adopted two pets — a dog Billie and a cat Gracie — from the humane society before starting “Benny’s Buddies.”
Later this postseason, Bennett will also be one of six NHL players to take part in the NHL’s second-annual “Stanley Pup,” a friendly competition featuring adoptable rescue dogs that will take place during Stanley Cup Final.
Similar to the Puppy Bowl for the Super Bowl, the Stanley Pup is a 90-minute television special in which dogs will face off in a competition showcasing their canine skills. This year, all 32 NHL teams will be represented by a four-legged friend, many of whom will be available for adoption from a shelter or rescue group in their respective city. The show will premiere at 7 p.m. June 6 and be broadcast on TruTV, with a rerun at 7 p.m. June 8 on the NHL Network.
In addition to Bennett, the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Victor Hedman, Hurricanes’ Jaccob Slavin, Utah Mammoth’s Alexander Kerfoot, and Washington Capitals’ Brandon Duhaime and Ryan Leonard will introduce participating dogs in support of local pet adoption in their cities.
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