Panthers' 4OT win in Game 1 of Eastern Conference Final by the numbers

Matthew Tkachuk played the role of hero when his goal with 13 seconds left in the fourth overtime ended the fourth-longest game of the NHL modern era, giving the Florida Panthers a 3-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final at PNC Arena on Thursday.

The goal came after the teams played 79:47 past regulation in the longest game ever for the Panthers and the Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers.

The game started at 8:10 p.m. ET on Thursday and ended at 1:54 a.m. ET on Friday.

The only games longer were Game 4 of the 2000 Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins (92:01 of overtime); Game 1 of the first round of the 2020 playoffs between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Tampa Bay Lightning (90:27) and Game 1 of the 2003 Western Conference Semifinals between the Anaheim Ducks and Dallas Stars (80:48). The longest games prior to the modern era (beginning in 1943-44) were Game 1 of the 1936 NHL Semifinals between the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Maroons (116:30) and Game 5 of the 1933 Semifinals between the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs (104:46).

"Probably my favorite [goal] so far in my life," Tkachuk said. "Big to not let it go to five overtimes there."

It was the forward's second overtime goal of the playoffs, tying him with Hurricanes forward Jesper Fast for the NHL lead. The record for most overtime goals in a single playoff year is three, co-held by Corey Perry of the Ducks (2017), Maurice Richard of the Montreal Canadiens (1951) and Mel Hill of the Bruins (1939).

Tkachuk has 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in 13 games this postseason, tying Dave Lowry (1996) for the most by a Panthers player in a single playoff year.

Tkachuk's goal ended a game that featured several players putting up historic numbers.

RELATED: [Complete Hurricanes vs. Panthers series coverage]

Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky made 63 saves, a single-game Panthers record and the 10th most by a goalie in any playoff game on record (since 1955-56). The previous Florida high was 55 by John Vanbiesbrouck in Game 4 of the 1996 Stanley Cup Final against the Colorado Avalanche.

Bobrovsky's Game 1 performance came one game after he made 50 saves against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 5 of the second round. He's the third goalie on record with consecutive 50-save games, along with Juuse Saros of the Nashville Predators, who did it against the Hurricanes in Games 3 and 4 of the first round of the 2021 playoffs, and Curtis Joseph of the St. Louis Blues in Games 1 and 2 of the 1993 Norris Division Final against the Maple Leafs.

"'Bob' played great and the everybody followed," Tkachuk said. "It was a total team effort for two games, basically."

Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen made 57 saves, the most by a Carolina/Hartford goalie, topping the 53 made by Frank Pietrangelo for the Whalers against the Canadiens in Game 7 of the 1992 Adams Division Semifinals.

Panthers defenseman Brandon Montour led all players with 57:56 of ice time, the highest single-game total by a Florida player and the ninth-highest all-time (since 1997-98). Defenseman Brent Burns led the Hurricanes with 54:43 of ice time, the most for a Carolina/Hartford player.

They were two of the five players who skated at least 50 minutes in Game 1, along with Panthers defensemen Gustav Forsling (55:41) and Aaron Ekblad (52:10), and Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin (51:41).

The Panthers are 5-0 in overtime during the 2023 playoffs and have won eight straight dating to the first round of the 2021 postseason. It's the fourth time a team has won eight straight overtime games (spanning postseasons), joining the Canadiens (14 games, 1993-98), New York Islanders (eight, 1987-93) and Edmonton Oilers (eight, 1985-90).

Four of their five overtime wins have come on the road: Games 5 and 7 of the first round against the Bruins and Game 5 of the second round against the Maple Leafs. Only two teams ever have won more road overtime games in a single playoff year; the Canadiens in 1993 and the Islanders in 1980. Each won five on their way to winning the Stanley Cup.

The win was the Panthers' seventh straight on the road since their loss to the Bruins in Game 1 of the first round. They won three games at Boston (.866 home points percentage during the regular season), three games at Toronto (.732) and now one at Carolina (.720). Those teams were ranked No. 1, No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, in home points percentage this season.

Florida is tied with six other teams for the second-longest road playoff winning streak; the record is 10 games by the Los Angeles Kings in 2012.

The teams won't have much time to recover for Game 2, at PNC Arena on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; TNT, CBC, SN, TVAS).

"Both teams spent what they had," Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. "That's a huge cost for both teams, and then it's a race to recover."