NHL Roundup: Carter Verhaeghe Scores in OT as Panthers Advance

NHL Roundup: Carter Verhaeghe Scores in OT as Panthers Advance
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (5) celebrates with Florida Panthers defenseman MacKenzie Weegar (52), at Capital One Arena, Washington, on May 13, 2022. Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports via Field Level Media
|Updated:

Carter Verhaeghe’s goal 2:46 into overtime gave the Florida Panthers a series-clinching 4–3 victory over the host Washington Capitals in Game 6 of their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series.

Coming off a franchise-record and NHL-high 122 points in the regular season, Florida won its first postseason series since the 1996 Eastern Conference finals, the longest playoff drought of any team in the NHL. The Panthers are headed to the second round to face the winner of the series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning.