3 takeaways from Panthers taking 2-0 lead over Hurricanes: Tkachuk plays hero again

1. Matthew Tkachuk’s takeover

Just like in Game 1, it took some time for Matthew Tkachuk to impose his will and skill on the contest. Until their superstar could break through, Florida needed someone else to step up in his place. On Thursday, Anthony Duclair recorded two assists in 2:15. On Saturday, Sergei Bobrovsky recovered from biting Martin Necas’s shot fake and pushed from right to left to stonewall Teuvo Teravainen, keeping the game tied.

After that, it was Tkachuk time. He laid out to break up a cross-ice pass in the slot from Brett Burnes to Jordan Jordan Martinook. Then after Florida successfully killed off a Radko Gudas penalty after he tripped Chatfield, effectively forcing overtime, Tkachuk provided his heroics. The overtime tally was his third of the playoffs, tying Corey Perry (2017), Maurice Richard (1951), and Mel Hill (1939) for the most in a postseason.

The goal was Tkachuk’s seventh and 18th point of these playoffs, setting a new Florida franchise record. Most importantly, it doubled his team’s lead in the series, leaving the Hurricanes searching for answers. “This is not new to us,” Brindamour told ESPN. “We’ve been kicked in the teeth here a lot these last few years and always responded.”

Indeed this isn’t new to Brindamour, who was a player when Carolina dropped the first two games against the Montreal Canadiens at home in 2006. Then, Brindamour scored the overtime winner in game three, and the rest was history as Carolina eventually claimed the franchise’s lone Stanley Cup. But those Canadiens weren’t these Panthers, and just because it happened in 2006 doesn’t mean it’ll translate to 2023.

“They (his players) don’t care.” he said. “That’s old news.”