SUNRISE, Fla. – Carter Verhaeghe’s go-ahead power-play goal in the third period propelled the Florida Panthers to a 4-2 victory against the Vegas Golden Knights at Amerant Bank Arena on Saturday. The matchup, a rematch of last season’s Stanley Cup Final, saw the Panthers avenging their defeat with a strong comeback performance.
Verhaeghe’s crucial goal and an assist were pivotal in turning the game in Florida’s favor. “It was an emotional game, but we focused on getting back on track,” Verhaeghe said. Brandon Montour, Aleksander Barkov, and Matthew Tkachuk each had two assists, and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 23 saves for Florida (19-12-2). The win was a much-needed boost for the Panthers, who had lost their previous two games.
Mark Stone and Pavel Dorofeyev scored for the Golden Knights (21-9-5), who are experiencing a rough patch with three consecutive losses. Goalie Jiri Patera, filling in for the injured Logan Thompson, made 38 saves, including 20 in the first period.
Florida’s aggressive start saw them outshooting Vegas 20-3 in the opening period. Panthers coach Paul Maurice praised his team’s style of play. “We played the game we wanted to and capitalized on our chances,” Maurice said.
Stone gave Vegas the lead early in the second period, but Sam Bennett’s wrist shot tied the game for Florida. Gustav Forsling’s goal then put the Panthers ahead before Dorofeyev’s equalizer late in the second period.
After Verhaeghe’s goal, Sam Reinhart extended the lead with another power-play goal, securing the win for Florida. “We played a solid 60-minute game and showed great intensity,” Bennett said.
Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy acknowledged his team’s sluggish start. “We needed to respond better, especially against a motivated Florida team,” Cassidy said.
Notably, the game marked Verhaeghe’s 100th goal with the Panthers since joining from Tampa Bay in 2020. Maurice is set to coach his 1,800th NHL game, while Vegas center Jack Eichel saw his franchise-record 12-game point streak come to an end.
Patera’s performance was close to setting a Golden Knights record for most saves in a period. Stone’s road point streak extended to seven games, and Barbashev continued his scoring run with 12 points in the last 12 games.
For the Panthers, this win is a significant turnaround, signaling their readiness to compete at a high level. The Golden Knights, facing a challenging stretch, will look to regroup and regain their early-season form.
