PHT’s selections for the 2022 NHL All-Star Game

By Sean LeahyDec 16, 2021, 10:00 AM EST

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

The NHL has opened voting for the four captains who will lead their teams at the 2022 All-Star Game in Las Vegas. As they’ve done in the past, the four teams will be made up of the top players in each division. That means there will be some tough decisions to make in order to fill a roster as the league tries to have a representative from every team at the event. (This format leads to so many snubs it’s not even worth arguing about anymore.)

During the weekend of Feb. 4-5, the NHL will once again hold the Skills event on Friday night and the three-game, 3-on-3 tournament on Saturday evening at T-Mobile Arena. Voting runs through Jan. 8 and is for the four captains, but we decided to come up with our own rosters.

Below are the teams for each division as devised by the NHL on NBC Sports staff.

METROPOLITAN DIVISION

Sean Leahy, NHL writer

F – Alex Ovechkin, Capitals
F – Cam Atkinson, Flyers
F – Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes
F – Mathew Barzal, Islanders
F – Jake Guentzel, Penguins
F – Artemi Panarin, Rangers
D – Zach Werenski, Blue Jackets
D – Dougie Hamilton, Devils
D – Adam Fox, Rangers
G – Frederik Andersen, Hurricanes
G – Tristan Jarry, Penguins

It’s an All-Star Game, so you want as many stars possible. Ovechkin should make every team until he retires. The toughest player to leave off was Zdeno Chara, if only because the league has a silly policy of only including actual All-Stars in the Skills event. This could be Big Zee’s final season. We need one more Hardest Shot appearance from him.

James O’Brien, NHL writer

F – Alex Ovechkin, Capitals
F – Claude Giroux, Flyers
F – Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes
F – Mathew Barzal, Islanders
F – Jake Guentzel, Penguins
F – Artemi Panarin, Rangers
D – Zach Werenski, Blue Jackets
D – Dougie Hamilton, Devils
D – Adam Fox, Rangers
G – Tristan Jarry, Penguins
G – Igor Shesterkin, Rangers

With the time Sidney Crosby missed, Guentzel seems like the better fit. (Also, it kind of seems like Crosby, uh, doesn’t enjoy the All-Star experience anyway?) Tough to leave John Carlson and Evgeny Kuznetsov off this list as Capitals enjoying strong seasons, but the format forces some tough cuts.

Jake Abrahams, Managing Editor, NHL content

I was a bit surprised that I only found space for one Hurricanes player on this roster, but maybe that’s a testament to how balanced their team is. Frederik Andersen probably deserves a spot, but Jarry and Shesterkin are putting forth Vezina-worthy seasons.

Adam Gretz, NHL writer

F – Alex Ovechkin, Capitals
F – Jesper Bratt, Devils
F – Claude Giroux, Flyers
F – Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes
F – Jake Guentzel, Penguins
F – Artemi Panarin, Rangers
D – Zach Werenski, Blue Jackets
D – Dougie Hamilton, Devils
D – Adam Fox, Rangers
G – Ilya Sorokin, Islanders
G – Igor Shesterkin, Rangers

The New York goalies should be regulars in All-Star Games for years to come. It was difficult leaving off Tristan Jarry and Ilya Samsonov, but the Islanders needed a rep and Shesterkin is just too good to keep home. Feel like the rest are mostly common sense picks. Hamilton and Fox are among the best in the league, Ovechkin, Panarin, and Guentzel are having great seasons.

Michael Finewax, NBC Sports Edge Senior Hockey Writer/Editor

F – Oliver Bjorkstrand, Blue Jackets
F – Alex Ovechkin, Capitals
F – Jesper Bratt, Devils
F – Claude Giroux, Flyers
F – Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes
F – Artemi Panarin, Rangers
D – John Carlson, Capitals
D – Kris Letang, Penguins
D – Adam Fox, Rangers
G – Frederik Andersen, Hurricanes
G – Ilya Sorokin, Islanders

Sorokin has been the best Islander this season and Giroux has done the job for the Flyers. It was hard leaving Igor Shesterkin and Ilya Samsonov off the team but the Isles needed a player.

Maple Leafs — Claus Andersen/Getty Images

ATLANTIC DIVISION

Sean Leahy, NHL writer

F – Brad Marchand, Bruins
F – Nick Suzuki, Canadiens
F – Steven Stamkos, Lightning
F – Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
F – Kyle Okposo, Sabres
F – Brady Tkachuk, Senators
D – Charlie McAvoy, Bruins
D – Aaron Ekblad, Panthers
D – Moritz Seider, Red Wings
G – Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning
G – Jack Campbell, Maple Leafs

If we didn’t have the “every team repped” deal, the Atlantic might have one of the better rosters. Instead, they may have to rely on their goaltending to get them through this tournament.

James O’Brien, NHL writer

F – Brad Marchand, Bruins
F – Nick Suzuki, Canadiens
F – Steven Stamkos, Lightning
F – Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
F – Jonathan Huberdeau, Panthers
F – Lucas Raymond, Red Wings
D – Aaron Ekblad, Panthers
D – Rasmus Dahlin, Sabres
D – Thomas Chabot, Senators
G – Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning
G – Jack Campbell, Maple Leafs

Bleh, this format is restrictive, and things only get rougher when every NHL team needs at least one representative. The extremes of the Atlantic are on display, as the Sabres, Canadiens, and Senators hoover up spots that should go to the likes of Victor Hedman and Charlie McAvoy. (Normally, I’d say just add some roster spots. Yet, with COVID, the All-Star weekend seems ill-advised in general. So instead I say less equals not as much stress.)

Jake Abrahams, Managing Editor, NHL content

F – Brad Marchand, Bruins
F – Nick Suzuki, Canadiens
F – Austin Matthews, Maple Leafs
F – Jonathan Huberdeau, Panthers
F – Dylan Larkin, Red Wings
F – Kyle Okposo, Sabres
D – Victor Hedman, Lightning
D – Aaron Ekblad, Panthers
D – Thomas Chabot, Senators
G – Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning
G – Jack Campbell, Maple Leafs

Snubs for Steven Stamkos and John Tavares, but that’s what happens when you need to find space for a player on the lowly Habs.

Adam Gretz, NHL writer

F – Brad Marchand, Bruins
F – Nick Suzuki, Canadiens
F – Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
F – Jonathan Huberdeau, Panthers
F – Lucas Raymond, Red Wings
F – Brady Tkachuk, Senators
D – Charlie McAvoy, Bruins
D – Aaron Ekblad, Panthers
D – Rasmus Dahlin, Sabres
G – Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning
G – Jack Campbell, Maple Leafs

Jack Campbell might be the biggest surprise, if only because he is showing his performance a year ago was no fluke. Dahlin and Suzuki satisfy the Canadiens and Sabres requirements. Raymond is one of two Red Wings running away with the Calder Trophy race and gets the Detroit edge over Moritz Seider.

Michael Finewax, NBC Sports Edge Senior Hockey Writer/Editor

F – Brad Marchand, Bruins
F – Nick Suzuki, Canadiens
F – Steven Stamkos, Lightning
F – Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
F – Victor Olofsson, Sabres
F – Brady Tkachuk, Senators
D – Victor Hedman, Lightning
D – Aaron Ekblad, Panthers
D – Moritz Seider, Red Wings
G – Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning
G – Jack Campbell, Maple Leafs

It was tough keeping Jonathan Huberdeau off the team but everyone, even the Sabres and Canadiens, needed to be represented. The Red Wings had a few players who were considered but Seider has been the best of the bunch.

CENTRAL DIVISION

Sean Leahy, NHL writer

F – Mikko Rantanen, Avalanche
F – Nazem Kadri, Avalanche
F – Vladimir Tarasenko, Blues
F – Clayton Keller, Coyotes
F – Kyle Connor, Jets
F – Kirill Kaprizov, Wild
D – Seth Jones, Blackhawks
D – Roman Josi, Predators
D – Miro Heiskanen, Stars
G – Marc-Andre Fleury, Blackhawks
G – Juuse Saros, Predators

It’d be fun to have Nathan MacKinnon there, or reward Matt Duchene for a bounce-back season, or squeeze Connor Hellebuyck into the proceedings, but rules are rules, I guess.

James O’Brien, NHL writer

F – Nazem Kadri, Avalanche
F – Alex DeBrincat, Blackhawks
F – Jordan Kyrou, Blues
F – Kyle Connor, Jets
F – Joe Pavelski, Stars
F – Kirill Kaprizov, Wild
D – Cale Makar, Avalanche
D – Shayne Gostisbehere, Coyotes
D – Roman Josi, Predators
G – Connor Hellebuyck, Jets
G – Juuse Saros, Predators

In the Central, quite a few teams seem to get things done “by committee.” At least with the Avalanche slowed by early injuries. Aside: the alliterative opportunities of captain Kirill Kaprizov are something to be noted.

Jake Abrahams, Managing Editor, NHL content

F – Nazem Kadri, Avalanche
F – Patrick Kane, Blackhawks
F – Vladimir Tarasenko, Blues
F – Clayton Keller, Coyotes
F – Kyle Connor, Jets
F – Kirill Kaprizov, Wild
D – Cale Makar, Avalanche
D – Roman Josi, Predators
D – Miro Heiskanen, Stars
G – Juuse Saros, Predators
G – Cam Talbot, Wild

I couldn’t justify leaving Nazem Kadri off this team, even with how well the team’s other superstar forwards have played this year. Kadri has been that good. Also, props to Tarasenko for his impressive bounce-back season.

Adam Gretz, NHL writer

F – Mikko Rantanen, Avalanche
F – Nazem Kadri, Avalanche
F – Vladimir Tarasenko, Blues
F – Kyle Connor, Jets
F – Joe Pavelski, Stars
F – Kirill Kaprizov, Wild
D – Cale Makar, Avalanche
D – Shayne Gostisbehere, Coyotes
D – Roman Josi, Predators
G – Marc-Andre Fleury, Blackhawks
G – Juuse Saros, Predators

Lot of good players having great seasons left off the list here (Alex DeBrincat, Jordan Kyrou, Matt Duchene) and some big names (Nathan MacKinnon) but every team needs a rep, so Pavelski sneaks in for the Stars at forward, while you can not possibly leave off the Avalanche duo of Kadri and Rantanen for what they are doing this season.

Michael Finewax, NBC Sports Edge Senior Hockey Writer/Editor

F – Nazem Kadri, Avalanche
F – Patrick Kane, Blackhawks
F – Vladimir Tarasenko, Blues
F – Clayton Keller, Coyotes
F – Kyle Connor, Jets
F – Kirill Kaprizov, Wild
D – Cale Makar, Avalanche
D – Seth Jones, Blackhawks
D – Miro Heiskanen, Stars
G – Connor Hellebuyck, Jets
G – Juuse Saros, Predators

Ryan Hartman was a tough one to leave off the team, as was Mikko Rantanen but Keller needed a spot as I could not give it to Shayne Gostisbehere over any of Makar, Jones or Heiskanen.

mcdavid drainait — Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images

PACIFIC DIVISION

Sean Leahy, NHL writer

F – Troy Terry, Ducks
F – Anze Kopitar, Kings
F – Max Pacioretty, Golden Knights
F – Jordan Eberle, Kraken
F – Connor McDavid, Oilers
F – Leon Draisaitl, Oilers
D – Quinn Hughes, Canucks
D – Alex Pietrangelo, Golden Knights
D – Erik Karlsson, Sharks
G – Thatcher Demko, Canucks
G – Jacob Markstrom, Flames

You cannot not have Connor and Leon together after how they’ve torn up the league over the first two months. In a perfect world we could include the other young Duck’lings in Trevor Zegras and Sonny Milano. It’d be fun to see those two in a Skills event, but we’ll have to settle for Terry’s shootout prowess.

James O’Brien, NHL writer

F – Troy Terry, Ducks
F – Johnny Gaudreau, Flames
F – Chandler Stephenson, Golden Knights
F – Anze Kopitar, Kings
F – Leon Draisaitl, Oilers
F – Connor McDavid, Oilers
D – Quinn Hughes, Canucks
D – Jamie Oleksiak, Kraken
D – Erik Karlsson, Sharks
G – John Gibson, Ducks
G – Jacob Markstrom, Flames

This all would’ve been much easier if Alex Pietrangelo wasn’t suffering through a quietly disastrous year (once you look beyond surface-level points). On the bright side, this opens up Stephenson to get credit for producing even with Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty missing time this season. The Kraken have a few solid candidates, but I went with Oleksiak, their team leader in GAR as of Dec. 14. (Plus, the makeup of Seattle is all about focusing on defense, so why not unleash a Kraken defenseman upon All-Star weekend?) If Jonathan Quick stayed hot but played more often, he’d be an even bigger threat to one of those two goalie spots.

Jake Abrahams, Managing Editor, NHL content

F – Troy Terry, Ducks
F – Mark Stone, Golden Knights
F – Chandler Stephenson, Golden Knights
F – Jordan Eberle, Kraken
F – Connor McDavid, Oilers
F – Leon Draisaitl, Oilers
D – Quinn Hughes, Canucks
D – Alex Pietrangelo, Golden Knights
D – Erik Karlsson, Sharks
G – Jacob Markstrom, Flames
G – Jonathan Quick, Kings

The home team always gets a little extra love, hence the three Golden Knights on this Pacific squad. Erik Karlsson and Jonathan Quick give this team a throwback feel.

Adam Gretz, NHL writer

F – Troy Terry, Ducks
F – Johnny Gaudreau, Flames
F – Connor McDavid, Oilers
F – Leon Draisaitl, Oilers
F – Anze Kopitar, Kings
F – Jordan Eberle, Kraken
D – Quinn Hughes, Canucks
D – Alex Pietrangelo, Golden Knights
D – Erik Karlsson, Sharks
G – Jacob Markstrom, Flames
G – John Gibson, Ducks

McDavid, Draisaitl, and Terry are the locks at forward, and Markstrom and Gibson are slam dunks in goal. Eberle becomes the Kraken’s first All-Star, and while Pietrangelo may not have been my ideal choice for the Golden Knights representative (I would have preferred Chandler Stephenson or Max Pacioretty) space got tight really quick at forward.

Michael Finewax, NBC Sports Edge Senior Hockey Writer/Editor

F – Troy Terry, Ducks
F – Johnny Gaudreau, Flames
F – Chandler Stephenson, Golden Knights
F – Leon Draisaitl, Oilers
F – Connor McDavid, Oilers
F – Timo Meier, Sharks
D – Alex Pietrangelo, Blues
D – Quinn Hughes, Canucks
D – Vince Dunn, Kraken
G – Jacob Markstrom, Flames
G – Jonathan Quick, Kings

Stephenson has been terrific for Vegas, especially in the absence of Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty for so much of the season. A waiver wire pickup two seasons ago from Washington, Stephenson has 29 points in 27 games. I couldn’t decide between a defenseman (Dunn) for Seattle or a forward like Jared McCann and Dunn won out.

Dellandrea scores twice in 3rd, Stars stay alive with 4-2 victory over Golden Knights

Associated PressMay 28, 2023, 9:33 AM EDT

Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

LAS VEGAS — With Dallas’ season on the line, the Stars got two critical goals from a player who was a healthy scratch the first two games of the Western Conference Final.

Ty Dellandrea‘s goals came within a 1:27 span midway through the third period, and the Stars beat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 to keep alive their hopes of advancing to the Stanley Cup Final to face the Florida Panthers.

“He’s one of the best guys I’ve ever played with,” said Stars goalie Jake Oettinger, who made 27 saves. “He deserves every opportunity he gets, and there’s no one happier for him than the guys in this room. It shows how special you are when you get taken out. He didn’t make it about him. He needed the opportunity to step up, and that’s what he did.”

The Stars escaped elimination for the second game in a row and head to Dallas for Game 6 down 3-2. Dallas is attempting to become the fifth team in NHL history to win a series after being down 3-0.

And look who’s back for the Stars? Captain Jamie Benn returns after a two-game suspension for his cross-check to the neck of Vegas captain Mark Stone in Game 3. That was the only game in this series that was decided early, and the Stars hadn’t even had a multigoal lead.

“I know our group, and we weren’t happy about being in the hole we were in, and they decided to do something about it,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “And now we’re rolling.”

The only problem for DeBoer was waiting two days to play Game 6.

“Drop the puck,” he said.

DeBoer said before the game if his team won, the pressure would shift to the Knights. Now it’s up to them to respond after twice being a period away from playing in the Stanley Cup Final and letting both opportunities slip away.

“I don’t think we brought our best the last two games,” Stone said. “We were still in a good spot to win the game. We’ve got to bring a little bit better effort and start playing a little more desperate.”

Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said “it’s a very good question” why his team didn’t play with more desperation, but he also wasn’t thrilled with the Knights’ execution.

“We had 24 giveaways,” Cassidy said. “I’m not sure you’re beating the Arizona Coyotes in January with 24 giveaways. That’s no disrespect to Arizona, but it’s not the right way to play.”

Dellandrea found the right way to play and put together the first multigoal playoff game of his career. Jason Robertson and Luke Glendening also scored, and Thomas Harley had two assists.

Chandler Stephenson and Ivan Barbashev scored for the Knights, and Jonathan Marchessault had two assists to extend his points streak to four games. Adin Hill made 30 saves.

Dellandrea scored from the right circle to put Dallas ahead, the puck deflecting off Vegas defenseman Alex Pietrangelo with 9:25 left for a 3-2 lead. Then, Dellandrea scored from the slot with 7:58 remaining.

Dellandrea said the older players kept him motivated when he was temporarily sidelined.

“There’s no denying it’s hard,” he said. “I’m thankful for a good group of character guys, and you’ve just got to stay ready.”

The teams traded goals in the first two periods.

Jack Eichel battled two Stars players for the puck in Vegas’ offensive zone, and then Barbashev swooped in and made a fantastic move to glide past Oettinger and score with 6:24 left in the first period. The Stars wasted little time in answering when Glendening scored on a deflection less than two minutes later.

Dallas was robbed of what looked like a sure goal when Hill snagged a point-blank shot from Roope Hintz, who then threw his back in disbelief.

Like in the first period, the Knights had a goal in the second quickly answered by one from the Stars. Stephenson scored from the left circle at 16:40 of the period, and Robertson knocked his own rebounds 2:09 later to make it 2-2. Stephenson tied the Knights’ record with his eight playoff goal this year, and Robertson had his fifth of the series.

Sabres sign Minnesota defenseman Ryan Johnston to 2-year rookie contract

Associated PressMay 27, 2023, 12:17 PM EDT

Getty Images

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres ended a lengthy wait by signing Ryan Johnston to a two-year, entry level contract more than a month after the defenseman completed his senior college season at Minnesota.

Johnston will report immediately to the Sabres’ American Hockey League affiliate in Rochester, whose best-of-seven Eastern Conference final playoff series against Hershey is tied at 1.

From Southern California, Johnston is listed at 6-feet and 170 pounds and was selected 31st in 2019 draft.

His puck-moving skills fit Buffalo’s style of play, Johnston finished his college career with nine goals and 59 points in 143 career games, including four goals and 18 points in 40 games this year. He reached the NCAA’s Frozen Four in each of his final two seasons, with the Gophers losing in the semifinals last year, followed by a 3-2 overtime loss to Quinnipiac in the championship game last month.

He also had a goal and three assists in seven games representing the U.S. team that won gold at the 2021 world junior championships.

Johnston, who turns 22 in July, had the option to wait until August when he would’ve become an unrestricted free agent and eligible to sign with any team. Because Johnston was first-round pick, the Sabres would’ve been compensated with a 2024 second-round selection had he signed elsewhere.

Both sides are banking on the player’s age and college experience to enable Johnston to make the jump to the NHL within the next two seasons. The Sabres will still control Johnston’s rights as a restricted free agent once his entry-level contract expires.

Joe Pavelski scores on OT power play, Stars beat Golden Knights 3-2 to avoid West sweep

Associated PressMay 25, 2023, 11:52 PM EDT

Jerome Miron/USA TODAY Sports

DALLAS — Joe Pavelski admits that he probably appreciates the big playoff goals more the later he gets in his career. But they all still feel just as good, and his latest kept the season alive for the Dallas Stars.

“Just really living in the moment,” Pavelski said. “A tremendous feeling for sure, and glad we could play another game, and go from there and try to extend it.”

The 38-year-old Pavelski scored on a power play at 3:18 of overtime – a one-timer from the middle of the left circle to the far post – and the Stars avoided a sweep in the Western Conference Final with a 3-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights.

Jason Robertson scored twice for his first career multigoal playoff game for Dallas, which played without suspended captain Jamie Benn.

“We’re looking for goals and that’s kind of my responsibility I put on myself,” Robertson said. “I know these playoffs have been tough. … I was able to get the bounces that we needed tonight.”

Jake Oettinger had 37 saves, two nights after the 24-year-old Stars goalie was pulled 7:10 into Game 3 after allowing three goals on five shots.

The Stars had the man advantage in overtime after Brayden McNabb‘s high-sticking penalty on Ty Dellandrea. Fifty seconds into the power play, Pavelski scored on a pass from Miro Heiskanen. They won for the first time in their five OT games this postseason – Vegas won the first two games of this series past regulation.

It was only the second Vegas penalty of the game, both high-sticking calls against McNabb. His penalty on Pavelski late in the first period set up the power play when Robertson scored his first goal with some nifty stickwork.

Pavelski, in his 15th NHL season and still looking for his first Stanley Cup, scored his ninth goal in 12 games this postseason, but his first in five games. He has 73 career postseason goals – the most for U.S.-born players and the most among all active players.

“He’s ageless. … I’ve seen that movie over and over again. Never gets old,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “He lives for those moments and he wants to be in those situations. Always has, and delivers almost every time.”

Benn was suspended two games by the NHL on Wednesday for his cross-check with his stick landing near the neck of Vegas captain Mark Stone in the first two minutes of Game 3 on Tuesday night. Benn also will miss Game 5 on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

William Karlsson and Jonathan Marchessault scored for Vegas. Adin Hill had his five-game winning streak snapped. He made 39 saves, including a game-saver with his extended left leg without about two minutes left in regulation on rookie Fredrik Olofsson’s swiping try in his first career playoff game.

“Our effort wasn’t good enough. Closing a series is probably the hardest game in a series, right, so it just wasn’t good enough from our group,” Marchessault said. “It was still a one-goal game in overtime. It was right there for us.”

Karlsson and Marchessault are among six of the original Vegas players still on the team from the inaugural 2017-18 season that ended with the Knights playing for the Stanley Cup, though they lost in five games to the Washington Capitals after winning the first game.

Vegas missed a chance to complete a sweep, a night after the Florida Panthers finished off a sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final.

Vegas took a 2-1 lead midway through the second period when Marchessault, after whacking his stick on the back of Ryan Suter in front of the net, scored on a pass between the Stars defenseman’s legs from McNabb, another original Golden Knight.

Robertson’s tying goal late in that period came on a ricochet off the back board just seconds after he had another shot hit the post. That was the fourth goal of this series, and sixth in the playoffs, after this regular season becoming the first Dallas player with a 100-point season.

On his first goal late in the first that tied it 1-1, Robertson deflected Heiskanen’s shot from just inside the blue line up into the air. As Hill was trying to secure the puck into his glove, Robertson knocked it free and then reached around and swiped the puck into the net with his stick parallel to the ice.

With former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson and wrestling great Ric Flair both in the building wearing Stars jerseys Dallas was avoided being swept in the playoffs for the first time since 2001 against St. Louis in the second round. This was the Stars’ 21st playoff series since then.

The Golden Knights scored first again – though not like those three quick goals in Game 3 that led to the earliest exit ever for Oettinger.

Karlsson pushed the puck up and skated to the front of the net after passing to Nicolas Roy, whose pass through traffic went off a Dallas stick before Reilly Smith got it just inside the right circle and took a shot. Karlsson’s deflection past Oettinger only 4:17 into the game was his eighth goal this postseason.

“There were a lot of rush chances,” said Smith, also with Vegas since the beginning. “I don’t think we did a good enough job of making it difficult on them. So we get another opportunity in two days.”

Tkachuk sends Panthers to Stanley Cup Final, after topping Hurricanes 4-3 for sweep

Associated PressMay 24, 2023, 11:27 PM EDT

Sam Navarro/USA TODAY Sports

SUNRISE, Fla. — Matthew Tkachuk delivered for Florida, again. Sergei Bobrovsky denied Carolina, again.

The wait is over: After 27 years, the Florida Panthers – a hockey punchline no more – are again going to play for the game’s grandest prize.

Tkachuk got his second goal of the game with 4.9 seconds left, lifting the Panthers past the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 and into the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1996 after sweeping the Eastern Conference final.

The Panthers will play either Vegas or Dallas for the Stanley Cup starting sometime next week; Vegas currently leads the Western Conference title series 3-0.

“This was pure joy,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said.

Bobrovsky stopped 36 shots to cap his stellar series – four games, four one-goal wins, three of them basically in sudden death, a .966 save percentage after stopping 174 of the 180 shots he faced. The first two wins were in overtime, and this one may as well have been.

The Panthers scored 10 goals in the series, and Bobrovsky ensured those were all they needed. They were the No. 8 seed, the last team in, the longest of long shots – which is consistent with their history, after not winning a single playoff series in 26 years, a drought that ended last season.

And now, beasts of the East. Tkachuk arrived last summer saying he wanted to bring Florida a Cup. He’s four wins away.

“It’s amazing,” Bobrovsky said. “We showed the resilience … and we’re lucky to have Chucky on our side. He knows how to score big goals.”

NHL Senior Vice President Brian Jennings was the one tasked with presenting the Prince of Wales Trophy. After some photos, Aleksander Barkov – the captain who had two assists, one of them on the game-winner – grabbed it, and skated it away. Some teams touch it. Some don’t. A few of the Panthers did, but Barkov didn’t pass it around.

That’ll wait for the big prize.

“It’s hard to explain right now. Everything just happened so quick,” Barkov said. “It means a lot. It definitely does. … It hasn’t been easy and nobody said it’s going to be easy.”

Added Tkachuk: “We earned that thing, and definitely didn’t do it the easy way. We earned it.”

Ryan Lomberg and Anthony Duclair had the other goals for Florida, which swept a series for the first time in franchise history.

Jordan Staal – his brothers Eric and Marc play for the Panthers – took a tripping penalty with 57 seconds left in regulation, setting up the power-play that Tkachuk finished off after getting into the slot and beating Frederik Andersen to set off a wild celebration.

“Eastern Conference champions,” Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad said. “It’s really cool. No doubt about it. But you know, at the end of the day, we have our eyes on something different.”

Toy rats – the Panthers’ tradition, a nod to the unwanted locker room guests from Florida’s old arena in 1996 – sailed down from the stands, and the goal needed to survive an official review. But the rats were picked up, the goal was deemed good, and 27 years of waiting was officially over 4.9 seconds later.

Jesper Fast seemed like he might have saved the season for Carolina, getting a tying goal with 3:22 left in regulation. Paul Stastny and Teuvo Teravainen had the first two goals of the night for the Hurricanes, while Brady Skjei and Jordan Martinook each had two assists. Andersen stopped 21 shots.

“Everyone’s going to say, ‘You got swept.’ That’s not what happened,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “I watched the game. I’m there. I’m cutting the games. We’re in the game. We didn’t lose four games. We got beat, but we were right there. This could have went the other way. It could have been four games the other way.”

That wasn’t sour grapes. He was right. A bounce here, a bounce there, a Bobrovsky not here, a Bobrovsky not there, and this series could have gone much differently.

But Bob was his best. Tkachuk was clutch, over and over. And Florida is as close to a Cup as it has ever been; the Panthers were swept by Colorado in the 1996 final.

Towels waved, strobe lights flashed, and the fans wasted no time letting the Panthers know that they were ready to a clincher.

Tkachuk made it 2-0 on the power play midway through the first. Carolina – a 113-point, division-championship-winning team in the regular season – made it 2-1 later in the first on Stastny’s goal, and Teravainen tied it early in the second.

Lomberg’s goal midway through the second gave Florida the lead again. It stayed that way until Fast got the equalizer with 3:22 left, and then Tkachuk finished it off – getting the Panthers to the title round in his first season.

“It’s been unbelievable since July since I got here,” Tkachuk said. “And hopefully we can cap off this amazing year.”

AROUND THE RINK

Panthers general manager Bill Zito was announced earlier Wednesday as a finalist for NHL GM of the year. … Tkachuk’s two goals gave him 21 points in the playoffs – extending his Florida single-season postseason record, which was 17 by Dave Lowry in 1996. … Slavin was quickly ruled out for the remainder of the game after Bennett’s hit, with what the Hurricanes said was “an upper-body injury.” Slavin wobbled as he tried to get to his feet. … Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel – who has also been a regular at Miami Heat games during their playoff run this spring – banged the drum before the game. When done, without a mic to drop, he simply dropped the mallet instead.

TWO-GOAL EDGE

Tkachuk’s goal midway through the opening period put Florida up 2-0 – and marked the first time, in nearly 14 periods of play to that point, that a team had a two-goal lead in this series. Every bit of action came with the score tied or someone up by one in the first 272 minutes (including all the overtimes) of the series.

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