New York. Five seconds left of normal game time at halftime on FLA Live.
Then the amazing Matthew Tkachuk scored 4-3 – and sent the Florida Panthers to the Stanley Cup Final.
– Now the best weeks of our lives await you, – says the hero.
It looked to the end that the Conference Final Four between the Florida Panthers and the Carolina Hurricanes would be decided in overtime.
With just under three-and-a-half minutes left in the third period, Småland’s Jesper Fast made sure to tie the score at 3-2 that had held the Cats since midseason.
But at the last moment, Canes captain Jordan Staal made a rather tough ejection, and then, of course, what everyone was waiting for happened.
With just five seconds left, Matthew Tkachuk — the 25-year-old who dominated the playoffs this year from start to finish and led the Panthers through series after series — grabbed the puck on the stretched goal line, made his way up front from the box, waited a second and then Bounce back in a decisive 4-3.
Thus, the “sweep” was completed – and the Florida Panthers prepared for the first Stanley Cup Final in 27 years.
– It’s a very cool feeling, – says the hero in a television interview right after the final whistle.
– Now the best weeks of our lives are waiting for you and I can’t wait for them to begin.
In the Finals, the Cats will face the Dallas Stars or, more likely now, the Vegas Golden Knights – and Chucky is ready for any opponent.
– No one will believe us now and it just suits us, he says.
Swedish defender Gustav Forsling provided the assist in the decisive game last night.