Knights Edge Panthers In Overtime Thriller, Advance To Conference Finals
Knights Edge Panthers In Overtime Thriller, Advance To Conference Finals...
The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Florida Panthers 4-3 in overtime Sunday night, clinching their spot in the NHL's Western Conference Finals. The decisive Game 7 victory at T-Mobile Arena sends the Knights to their third conference finals in six seasons while eliminating last year's Stanley Cup runners-up.
Jonathan Marchessault scored the series-winning goal 3:42 into overtime, firing a wrist shot past Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. The 2018 Conn Smythe Trophy winner had two goals in the elimination game, continuing his playoff dominance against his former team.
This matchup is trending nationally as hockey fans debate whether Vegas' physical style can sustain another deep playoff run. The Knights became the first team this postseason to overcome a 3-2 series deficit, rallying after losing Game 5 in Sunrise.
Florida's star forwards Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe combined for just one assist in the finale. Panthers coach Paul Maurice told reporters postgame: "We didn't get the bounces when we needed them most."
The Knights will face either Edmonton or Dallas when the conference finals begin Thursday. Vegas improved to 5-0 all-time in Game 7s, while Florida fell to 2-5 in winner-take-all contests.
Social media erupted with reactions to the physical game that featured 68 combined hits. NHL Network analyst Mike Rupp tweeted: "This is why playoff hockey is the best postseason in sports." The game peaked at 3.2 million viewers on ESPN, the network's most-watched NHL playoff telecast this year.
Vegas goaltender Adin Hill made 32 saves in his fourth straight start since replacing injured Laurent Brossoit. The 27-year-old now has a .932 save percentage this postseason.
With the victory, the Knights continue their remarkable consistency since entering the league in 2017. They've now reached at least the conference finals in four of their six NHL seasons.
