Florida Panthers center Carter Verhaeghe. Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Carter Verhaeghe nets another clutch goal for Panthers

By Paul Harris | Last updated 4/21/24

Carter Verhaeghe's clutch playoff goals usually come in overtime.

But the Florida Panthers will gladly take the one he scored Sunday.

Verhaeghe, who has four overtime playoff winners in the past two seasons, scored a power-play goal 58 seconds into the third period to break a 1-1 tie and give the Panthers the lead for good in their 3-2 win over Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday in Game 1 of the first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series.

Matthew Tkachuk made it 3-1 with an empty-net goal with 2:05 left. Steven Stamkos scored for the Lightning with 8.5 seconds left.

Vergaeghe's overtime heroics came last season in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights, the Game 7 goal that gave Florida the first-round series win over the heavily favored Boston Bruins last year and two OT winners in the 2022 first-round victory over the Washington Capitals, including in the decisive Game 6.

"He has the nose for the net," Tkachuk said via Andre Fernandez of the Miami Herald in a June 9, 2023 story. "He's got an unbelievable shot and he finds the soft areas like not a lot of guys can. That allows him to be one of the top players in the league.

"He's got that offensive package you rarely see...He just has that ability."

Verhaeghe, 28, had 34 goals and 72 points in 76 games during the regular season.

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