Latest news with #SamBennett
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Sam Bennett's stunning revival is powering Panthers toward back-to-back Stanley Cups
Sam Bennett's playoff rise fuels Panthers' Stanley Cup push (Image via: Getty Images) Sam Bennett is proving to be one of the NHL's most valuable playoff performers. Once labeled a first-round bust by the Calgary Flames, Bennett has exploded as a postseason force with the Florida Panthers. Now leading the Stanley Cup Playoffs in goals, the veteran center is showing exactly why he was a top pick and why Calgary might regret letting him go. From Calgary's forgotten center to Florida's Stanley Cup catalyst NHL Game 5 Highlights | Panthers vs. Hurricanes - May 28, 2025 When the Calgary Flames scratched Sam Bennett in March 2021—for the second straight game, it looked like his once-promising career had hit rock bottom. Drafted fourth overall in 2014, Bennett never quite clicked in Calgary's system. Inconsistent deployment, position changes, and a lack of trust from coaches turned him into an underachieving afterthought. That all changed with one trade. Since being dealt to the Florida Panthers, Bennett has transformed into a playoff nightmare for opponents. He leads the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs with 10 goals in 17 games, anchoring one of the league's most dominant lines alongside Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe. Their chemistry, speed, and physicality have helped power Florida to their third consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearance. In Florida, Bennett was finally allowed to play his natural center position. Under head coach Paul Maurice, he found not only a role but an identity. Aggressive, relentless, and unafraid of the dirty areas, Bennett's game fits Florida's in-your-face style perfectly. 'He's the definition of a playoff player,' Tkachuk said, and it's hard to disagree. But this story isn't just about redemption. It's also about Calgary's colossal mistake. While the Flames continue searching for postseason success, they watch from the outside as a player they gave up on now thrives under the biggest spotlight in hockey. For a franchise still reeling from inconsistency and key departures, Bennett's breakout is a bitter pill to swallow. And with unrestricted free agency approaching, Bennett's stock is soaring. While flashier names like Mitch Marner dominate headlines, it's Bennett's hard-nosed, clutch performances that have general managers paying attention. He's not just a depth piece anymore, he's a difference-maker. Also Read: Connor McDavid's wife, Lauren Kyle McDavid's reaction turns heads after Oilers' Game 5 victory over Stars For the Florida Panthers, Sam Bennett has become the player every contender needs in the postseason: physical, fast, fearless, and productive. For the Calgary Flames, he's the one that got away.
Fox News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Panthers advance to Stanley Cup Final with win over Hurricanes, refuse to touch Prince of Wales Trophy
The Florida Panthers advanced to their third consecutive Stanley Cup Final with a 5-3 victory in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday night at the Lenovo Center. It was also the second consecutive year the team did not touch the Prince of Wales Trophy, which is awarded to the Eastern Conference champion. It worked for the Panthers last year, as they went on to defeat the Edmonton Oilers in seven games and won their first championship in franchise history. While the Panthers ended up winning Game 5, it did not start out well for them. The Hurricanes jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period as they capitalized on Panthers giveaways. The Panthers responded with three second-period goals to take a 3-2 lead. Hurricanes' forward Seth Jarvis tied the game 3-3 in the third period as they looked to extend their season, but they would not find the back of the net again. After a sensational individual effort along the boards behind the Hurricanes' net, Panthers center Aleksander Barkov found Carter Verhaeghe with a slick pass, and Verhaeghe buried the puck into the net and gave the Panthers a 4-3 lead. "He took on one guy, then two guys and then gave the puck to me with a pretty open net," Verhaeghe said of Barkov's key assist. "So it was an unbelievable play by Barky at a critical time." Sam Bennett clinched the win for the Panthers with an empty-net goal with 54 seconds remaining in the game. This was the second time in three years the Panthers had defeated the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference finals, but the Panthers' celebration after the win this time was much more subdued. "I remember a few years ago, it felt like such an accomplishment (making the Stanley Cup Final) from where we were at one point," forward Matthew Tkachuk said, adding, "It's all business and we've got a bigger goal in mind." Panthers' head coach Paul Maurice said his team overcoming the early two-goal deficit is what makes hockey great. "That was all the elements that make our sport great," Maurice said. "They're all over us. And we're serving up pizzas, and we don't look like we should've made the playoffs, and then the next thing you know we look pretty good." The Panthers will play the winner of the Oilers and Dallas Stars series. The Oilers hold a 3-1 lead over the Dallas Stars with Game 5 coming on Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET. If the Oilers end up defeating the Stars and advancing, they have a chance to get revenge on the Panthers for last season's Stanley Cup Final defeat. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Globe and Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Globe and Mail
Defending champion Florida Panthers advance to third straight Stanley Cup final, beating Carolina 5-3 in Game 5
Carter Verhaeghe broke a tie off a feed from Aleksander Barkov with 7:39 left and the defending champion Florida Panthers advanced to their third straight Stanley Cup Final, beating the Carolina Hurricanes 5-3 on Wednesday night in Game 5. The Panthers beat the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference final for the second time in three seasons. The Panthers will face the winner of the Western final between Dallas and Edmonton, with the Oilers up 3-1 in that best-of-seven series to put them within a win of a rematch with Florida for the Cup. Sam Bennett added an empty-net goal with 54 seconds left by skating down a loose puck straight out of the penalty box after Florida had held up against a critical late power play for the Hurricanes. That capped a wild night that saw the Hurricanes jump to a 2-0 lead, then Florida answer with three second-period goals, only to see Carolina's Seth Jarvis beat Sergei Bobrovsky midway through the third to tie it at 3.
Arab News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Defending champion Panthers head back to Stanley Cup Final with 5-3 Game 5 win over Hurricanes
RALEIGH, N.C.: Carter Verhaeghe broke a tie off a feed from Aleksander Barkov with 7:39 left and the defending champion Florida Panthers advanced to their third straight Stanley Cup Final, beating the Carolina Hurricanes 5-3 on Wednesday night in Game 5. The Panthers beat the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference final for the second time in three seasons. The Panthers will face the winner of the Western final between Dallas and Edmonton, with the Oilers up 3-1 in that best-of-seven series to put them within a win of a rematch with Florida for the Cup. Sam Bennett added an empty-net goal with 54 seconds left by skating down a loose puck straight out of the penalty box after Florida had held up against a critical late power play for the Hurricanes. That capped a wild night that saw the Hurricanes jump to a 2-0 lead, then Florida answer with three second-period goals, only to see Carolina's Seth Jarvis beat Sergei Bobrovsky midway through the third to tie it at 3.
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Verhaeghe scores game-winner to send Florida Panthers back to Stanley Cup Final
The Florida Panthers are heading back to the Stanley Cup Final. Florida used a three-goal second period to negate a horrid first period and then Carter Verhaeghe scored the game-winner with 7:39 left to play for a 5-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference final on Wednesday at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina to secure the best-of-7 series. The Panthers now return to the Stanley Cup Final for a third consecutive season, becoming just the fourth team since 1980 to make it to at least three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals. The others: The Tampa Bay Lightning (2020-22), Edmonton Oilers (1983-1985) and New York Islanders (1980-1984). Florida will play either the Oilers or Dallas Stars in the Stanley Cup Final. Edmonton leads the Western Conference final 3-1, with Game 5 and its first chance to win the series on Thursday. Verhaeghe scored the game-winner, his sixth goal of the playoffs and his 12th career playoff game-winning goal, after Aleksander Barkov muscled through Carolina defenseman Dmitry Orlov on the boards before sending a pass across the crease to Verhaeghe. The winger then sent a snap shot past Frederik Andersen for the go-ahead strike. Sam Bennett sealed the game with an empty-net goal. Before that, the Panthers scored three times in a span of 4:36 in the second period to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead. It started when Matthew Tkachuk deflected in an Aaron Ekblad shot from the high slot on the power play to beat Frederik Anderson 7:23 into the period to cut Florida's deficit to 2-1. It was the Panthers' first goal on the power play in 11 tries after going a combined 0 for 8 on the man advantage in Games 3 and 4 and failing to score on their first opportunities Wednesday. The Panthers tied the game 30 seconds later on an Evan Rodrigues wrist shot from up close on a feed from Sam Bennett. It was Rodrigues' first goal of the playoffs — making him the 19th Florida player to score a goal this postseason — and came after coach Paul Maurice moved him down to the second line with Bennett and Tkachuk at the start of the period. Rodrigues had been on Florida's top line with Barkov and Sam Reinhart, but Verhaeghe moved into his spot to start the second period. And then Anton Lundell gave Florida its first lead of the game — and first since winning Game 3 — with 8:01 left in the second period on a tip-in of a Brad Marchand pass. It gave the Panthers all the momentum after a disastrous first period that saw them fall down 2-0 when Sebastian Aho scored twice — first at 4:39 into the opening frame and again with 1:06 left in the period — after Florida turnovers. Florida also did it despite playing down a forward for the final two periods with Eetu Luostarinen missing the final two periods due to injury. Seth Jarvis temporarily tied the game at 3-3 with 11:30 left when he beat Sergei Bobrovsky high with a wrist shot. But like this team has done all postseason, it found a way to dig deep and make the plays when it mattered the most. Verhaeghe stepped up this time, like he has so many times before. And now, the Panthers are back in the Stanley Cup Final with a chance to repeat as champions. This story will be updated.
