Carter Verhaeghe scored twice and Sam Bennett had three assists as the Florida Panthers defeated host Seattle 5-1 Saturday night, ending the Kraken’s franchise-record seven-game winning streak.
Matthew Tkachuk added a goal and an assist as the Panthers’ top line combined for seven points. Aleksi Heponiemi and Gustav Forsling also scored, and Florida goaltender Spencer Knight made 35 saves.
Jared McCann scored for Seattle and Philipp Grubauer stopped 23 of 28 shots.
Verhaeghe opened the scoring 13 minutes into the first period after the Panthers entered the offensive zone on a four-on-two rush. A centering pass for Marc Staal was out of his reach, but he barreled into Grubauer just outside the crease. Bennett retrieved the puck in the left-wing corner and sent a pass to Verhaeghe in the slot, and he hammered it into an open net.
Kraken coach Dave Hakstol challenged the play, claiming goaltender interference. After a video review, the goal was allowed to stand and Seattle was assessed a two-minute minor for delay of game.
Verhaeghe scored off his own rebound 26 seconds later, making it 2-0.
The Kraken pulled within 2-1 at 1:53 of the second period following a Florida turnover in its own end. Knight stopped Jordan Eberle’s shot, but McCann was at the top of the crease to knock home the rebound.
The Panthers restored the two-goal margin with the man advantage at 5:51 of the period as Aaron Ekblad’s shot from the top of the left faceoff circle deflected off Tkachuk’s shin pad and into the net.
Heponiemi tallied at 7:49 of the third as his shot went off the right post and then off the back of Grubauer’s leg before trickling over the goal line.
Forsling capped the scoring on the power play at 13:03 on a blast from the left point.
The Panthers, who started the game with 17 skaters, were further short-handed when defenseman Radko Gudas left early in the first period with an upper-body injury and forward Patric Hornqvist was hurt in a collision with Seattle’s Daniel Sprong early in the second. Neither Gudas nor Hornqvist returned.
–Field Level Media
