Florida Panthers Game 5 Overtime Victory Pushes Team to Brink of Stanley Cup – Score, Highlights & What’s Next

The Florida Panthers are headed back to the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight year after closing out the Carolina Hurricanes 5-3 in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final on Wednesday night in Raleigh. Dominant finish to the East • Florida posted a 12-5 record in the 2025 postseason, winning 10 of its last 11 playoff series dating back to 2023. • Carter Verhaeghe scored twice, including the eventual game-winner midway through the third period, while captain Aleksander Barkov added three assists. • Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside 33 of 36 shots and improved to 8-2 this postseason when facing 30-plus shots. Chasing a rare repeat Should the Panthers lift the Cup again, they would become the NHL’s first back-to-back champions since Tampa Bay in 2020-21 and only the second franchise in the salary-cap era to reach three consecutive Finals. Forward Matthew Tkachuk noted, “We’ve learned how to stay in the moment. Every shift matters at this time of year.” Key matchup to watch in the Final Pending the outcome of the Western Conference series, Florida will either get a heavyweight goaltending duel against Dallas’ Jake Oettinger or a track-meet rematch with Edmonton’s high-octane offense. Coach Paul Maurice has leaned on a deep blue line featuring Aaron Ekblad, Gustav Forsling, and Brandon Montour to suffocate elite scorers; that group has limited opponents to 2.18 goals per game this spring. Why the Panthers look unstoppable • Special teams surge: Florida owns a 28.1 percent power play and an 88 percent penalty kill in the playoffs. • Depth scoring: 11 different skaters have recorded a game-winning goal. • Home-ice fortress: The club is 16-4 in its last 20 postseason games at Amerant Bank Arena. Stanley Cup Final schedule (all times ET) Game 1: Saturday, June 1 — Panthers at TBD, 8 p.m. (ABC/ESPN+) Game 2: Monday, June 3 — Panthers at TBD, 8 p.m. Game 3: Thursday, June 6 — TBD at Panthers, 8 p.m. Game 4: Saturday, June 8 — TBD at Panthers, 8 p.m. *Games 5-7 if necessary June 10, 13, 15. How to watch and stream U.S. viewers can catch every game on ABC with simulcasts on ESPN+; Canadian broadcasts will air on Sportsnet and TVA Sports. Fans in South Florida can also tune in to WQAM 560 AM and 99.9 FM for the local radio call. What’s next for Carolina The Hurricanes enter an offseason of tough decisions, with unrestricted free agents Jake Guentzel and Brady Skjei headlining a cap crunch. General manager Don Waddell said the club will “explore all options” after a third straight playoff exit against the Panthers. Bottom line With a battle-tested core, elite goaltending, and a coaching staff that has mastered playoff adjustments, the Florida Panthers appear poised to cement a modern-day dynasty. The hockey world now waits to see whether Dallas or Edmonton can halt South Florida’s march toward another Stanley Cup parade in Sunrise.