With two goals in Game 1 of Stanley Cup Final, Sam Bennett makes Panthers history
Sam Bennett has made Florida Panthers history.
Bennett scored twice in the Panthers’ 4-3 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final to bring his total to 12 goals this postseason.
That’s the most by a Panthers player in a single postseason.
Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe were tied for the previous record with 11 each, Tkachuk setting the mark in the 2023 postseason and Verhaeghe matching it in the 2024 playoffs.
Even more impressive: 11 of Bennett’s 12 goals have come on the road. That ties the NHL record for most road goals in a single postseason, matching Mark Scheifele’s record set in 2018.
Both of his goals came in big moments Wednesday.
Bennett tied the game at 1-1 with 9:11 left in the first period when he deflected a Carter Verhaeghe shot past Stuart Skinner while being tripped into Skinner by Edmonton’s Brett Kulak.
The Oilers challenged for goaltender interference but the goal stood because Kulak initiated the contact with Bennett that led to Bennett falling into Skinner.
Bennett then pushed Florida’s lead to 3-1 two minutes into the second period after taking a cross-ice feed from Nate Schmidt, moving the puck to his forehand and firing a snap shot from up close that beat Skinner. It was his second multi-goal game of the postseason.
But the effort ultimately went to waste. Edmonton scored the final three goals — Viktor Arvidsson in the second period, Mattias Ekholm in the third and Leon Draisaitl in overtime — to take the series opener.
“It’s going to be a long series,” Bennett said. “I don’t think we expected this to be easy. We can learn some things from tonight and then we’re just going to move on.”
This story was originally published June 4, 2025 at 9:29 PM.
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