Matthew Tkachuk scored one of the latest game-winners in NHL history early Friday morning, ending Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals late in the fourth overtime period to secure the win for the Florida Panthers.

Tkachuk scored the game-winning goal against the Carolina Hurricanes with 12 seconds left in the fourth overtime. He was happy the game didn’t go any longer.

“Yeah, probably the favorite [goal] so far in my life,” Tkachuk said. “It was big not to go into five overtimes there, you know?”

The Panthers continue their improbable run toward the Stanley Cup Finals, taking Game 1 of the semis as the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. They upset the best regular season team of all time, the Boston Bruins, and took care of the Toronto Maple Leafs in five games in the second round.
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The Panthers snuck into the playoffs on the final day of the regular season, and now find themselves three wins away from playing for the Stanley Cup. Hockey has its way of creating underdog stories. The Panthers certainly fit the bill, though it is important to note that they did win the President's Trophy last season as the team with the best regular season record.
They lost in the second round to the Tampa Bay Lightning, but are flipping a different switch this season as an under-the-radar team. Led by Matthew Tkachuk, the Panthers are closing in on a chance at the Stanley Cup. How far will a Game 1 quadruple overtime win carry them?