On June 13th, 2021, the Florida Panthers secured their spot in the Stanley Cup Final with a thrilling victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 4. The game was tied at 4-4 with less than a minute left in regulation when Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk scored the game-winning goal, sending the Panthers to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance since 1996.
Tkachuk’s goal was the culmination of a hard-fought game between two bitter rivals. The Lightning had won the previous three games of the series, but the Panthers refused to go down without a fight. The game was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading goals throughout the night.
The Panthers got off to a strong start, scoring two goals in the first period to take an early lead. But the Lightning responded with two goals of their own in the second period to tie the game at 2-2. The Panthers regained the lead in the third period, but the Lightning once again tied the game with just over six minutes left in regulation.
With time winding down and the game tied, it looked like the two teams were headed for overtime. But Tkachuk had other ideas. With just 10 seconds left on the clock, he took a pass from linemate Jonathan Huberdeau and fired a shot past Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy to give the Panthers the lead and secure their spot in the Stanley Cup Final.
Tkachuk’s goal was a fitting end to a thrilling game and an incredible series between two talented teams. The Panthers will now face off against either the Vegas Golden Knights or the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Final, which is set to begin on June 28th.
For Panthers fans, Tkachuk’s goal was a moment they will never forget. After years of disappointment and frustration, their team has finally made it to the biggest stage in hockey. And with players like Tkachuk leading the way, they have a real chance to bring home the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history.
