How the Panthers pulled the upset of a lifetime: CBS News Miami's Steve Goldstein reports
MIAMI -- Boston Bruins finished the regular season with an NHL record 65 wins and 135 points.
Panthers got into the playoffs with just a few days left in the regular season and had 92 points. On paper, it was a major mismatch, the largest point disparity in an NHL playoff series in 27 years. What happened next was as stunning as anything you'll ever see in sports.
Tkachuk Heart & Soul
Simply put, Matthew Tkachuk changed the dynamic of the Panthers. His brush style, honest off ice personality, and the production to match, has taken this team to a new level.
Playoff Tested
Perhaps overlooked was the fact that the Panthers have now reached the postseason for straight years, and in the last two, learned some valuable lessons, particularly from the Tampa Bay Lightning who beat the Panthers twice. This team is more playoff ready than most thought.
No Quit
The Panthers have had so many comebacks over the last few years that they truly believe they can win any game. Remarkably, they won three out of four in Boston, where the Bruins had only lost seven times all year. And down three games to one, their belief never wavered that they could win the series.
Mr. Overtime
Carter Verhaeghe was a depth forward on the Tampa Bay Lightning when the Panthers signed him as a free agent. The last two years, he has become a prime-time playoff player, scoring three overtime goals, including the clinchers in the first round last year and this year. He was a great find by the team and even smarter, they resigned him to a long-term deal.
Bob Redemption
Sergei Bobrovsky reemerged in this series to win the final three games. Of course, the Panthers scored plenty of goals, 14 over those final three games to come back and win the series in seven. But Bobrovsky only needed to be better than the Boston goaltender, and he was. He has now beaten two of the best three regular season teams in NHL history in the first round. He was Columbus's goaltender in 2019 when they stunned the Tampa, and now this year's win over Boston.
Toronto Time
When the Panthers left South Florida after that wild game six home win, they packed for a week. They knew if they won game 7 in Boston, they may not be coming home. The 2nd round series against Toronto will start on Tuesday night. Game 2 is north of the border on Thursday.
