Greg WyshynskiESPNM May 21, 2023 07:29 ET3 minutes read
Déjà-vu! The Panthers win again with Matthew Tkachuk’s OT goal
Matthew Tkachuk scores his second overtime winner in two games as the Panthers lead the series 2-0 over the Hurricanes.
RALEIGH, NC — Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk is letting everyone know when it’s time to leave the ice rink after scoring his goals in overtime.
In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes, Tkachuk scored the sixth-longest Stanley Cup playoff game in NHL history with 13 seconds remaining in quadruple overtime. In Game 2 on Saturday night, he needed just a minute and 51 seconds to score a power-play goal in the first overtime and give Florida a 2-0 lead.
But after scoring both goals, he literally tells his team it’s time to get off the rink: Tkachuk immediately and forcefully pointed to the rink’s exit door, sprinted toward it, leading his team off the ice and into the Dressing room celebration.
No playing in front of an audience. No sliding across the ice while pumping his fists. Not even the goal celebration in Game 5 against the Boston Bruins in the first round when he circled to the middle of the ice and was mobbed by his teammates.
Just a great rush for the exit.
Tkachuk called it “the old bus of 10″. [minutes]”Celebration” after game 2.
“Let’s get out of here. There’s been a lot of hockey in the last two games,” he said.
Tkachuk said the cheer came to him just as he scored in fourth overtime in Game 1. In Game 2, Tkachuk and his teammates were already in the corner near the exit door of the rink after he scored on the power play. He went straight to the door and waited for it to be opened.
“We’ve been there before, so I guess I said, ‘That’s a lot of hockey. Let’s go. Let’s get off the ice and take off our skates,'” he said.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice said it was a goal celebration he had never experienced before.
“I understood what he was doing,” he said. “We’re going to the rink tonight and it feels like we never went. We’ve been to this rink many times and I think we’re just pretty lucky to be second.” [games] and get out of here
Tkachuk has now scored seven goals in the playoffs, bringing the Panthers within but two wins of their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance since 1996. Game 3 takes place on Monday night in Sunrise, Florida.
“I can barely wait for it. It was so much fun playing there all year long. I’m sure it will be the loudest.” [building] on Monday,” he said.