Another Extended Game

I wrote all about some of the overtime trends that we've seen so far in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs as fifteen games had gone to extra time up to including Monday. I did mention that there would likely be more games that hit overtime, and it took all of one day to see another one with the New York Rangers and the Florida Panthers needing overtime tonight. Would this game follow the trend of ending within the first six minutes as eight had done previously? Might we see a triple-overtime game between these two teams?

Let's just say that we're not going to need late-night delivery. A rather terrible pass from Mika Zibanejad led to a Blake Wheeler penalty, and there was celebration just 72 seconds into the overtime period as Sam Reinhart buried a one-timer for the 3-2 win, tying the series at 2-2. Reinhart's goal was the fastest goal from the start of an overtime period in Florida Panthers playoff history, erasing Matthew Tkachuk's goal against the Carolina Hurricanes last season in Game Two of the Eastern Conference final that came 1:51 into the extra period.

What made this goal extraordinary, though, was the passing. Watch below and marvel at eight passes in 13 seconds for the winner.
The Panthers had all sorts of ice to work with in front of the net thanks to quick, accurate passes that pulled the penalty killers in all directions, allowing Reinhart to find himself wide-open in the slot for the finisher. All five players out for the power-play - Montour, Barkov, Verhaeghe, Tkachuk, and Reinhart - touched the puck in this sequence, and that goal might have been one of the prettiest seen in these playoffs for how quickly and efficiently the Panthers scored.

Something that may have gotten lost in the celebration is Sergei Bobrovsky's excellence in the extra periods. With the win in overtime tonight, Bobrovsky improved his career record to 12-2 with the Panthers in overtime games, and he's a remarkable 17-6 in his career overall. His 17 playoff overtime wins have him sitting with fourth-most in NHL history, behind only Patrick Roy (40), Ed Belfour (22) and Grant Fuhr (18). Considering that Bobrovsky is 2-2 in these playoffs, that 10-0 record in overtime games prior to this season is pretty insane as well. Maybe he's Big Save Bobrovsky?

We've now had 16 overtime games with nine ending within six minutes of the start of the first overtime period. That's also the fourth game that's finished inside of two minutes, and the third-straight overtime game in this series goes to the Panthers who turned this best-of-seven series into a best-of-three series with their win tonight. The series will shift back to Manhattan on Thursday - will we see a fourth-straight overtime game between these two teams?

If so, don't spring for late-night delivery hoping we get a marathon game. It just doesn't seem to be in the cards this postseason.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!