Verhaeghe's dream night fuels Panthers rally in Game 5
Has two goals, three assists to help push Capitals to brink in Eastern First Round
Verhaeghe had two goals and three assists to help the Panthers rally from three goals down for a 5-3 victory in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference First Round at FLA Live Arena on Wednesday.
Verhaeghe's five points were an NHL career high and the most in a playoff game in the history of the Panthers, who took a 3-2 lead in the best-of-7 series and can advance with another win in Game 6 at Washington on Friday (7:30 p.m. ET; TBS, SN360, TVAS, NBCSWA, BSFL).
"Things are going pretty well right now for me and the team," Verhaeghe said. "We're up 3-2. We have two chances to win one game, so things are looking pretty good."
Verhaeghe was the humble hero for the second straight game after scoring twice, including the overtime winner, in the Panthers' 3-2 victory in Game 4 on Monday.
Florida had to come from behind in that one, too, trailing 2-1 late in the third before Sam Reinhart tied it with 2:04 remaining. Verhaeghe then won it 4:57 into overtime.
That was minor escape for the Panthers compared to their Houdini act on Wednesday, when they fell behind 3-0 after T.J. Oshie scored on a 2-on-1 with Evgeny Kuznetsov at 3:38 of the second period.
But if Florida appeared unfazed despite trailing by three goals, it's because it led the League with 29 comeback wins this season, including five when it trailed by at least three goals.
Among those five was a 5-4 win against the Capitals on Nov. 30, when it trailed 4-1 in the third period.
"I think sometimes it's a little liberating for our group," Panthers coach Andrew Brunette said of falling behind. "It's not fun for me and for the fans, but I think for the group it seemed to free them up a little bit and took away a little bit of the pressure, and they just went and played."
RELATED: [Complete Panthers vs. Capitals series coverage]
Verhaeghe started Florida's comeback at 6:50 of the second, scoring near the right post after Aleksander Barkov's shot from above the left circle caromed to him off the end boards.
Verhaeghe then sprung Patric Hornqvist for a breakaway goal that cut it 3-2 at 12:27, and Reinhart tied it 2:14 later by jamming in Verhaeghe's rebound at the left post.
"He's been the best player on the ice both these two games," Hornqvist said. "And his speed and taking the puck to the net makes it hard for their 'D.' That's exactly what we need him to do, and he's been stepping up huge."
Verhaeghe did all the work on his go-ahead goal 3:04 into the third. He stripped Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov from behind in the defensive zone and raced up the ice before getting behind Nicklas Backstrom and finishing a feed from Barkov.
Verhaeghe completed his tour de force by setting up Claude Giroux on a 2-on-1 at 15:55 for the 5-3 final.
"That's why he's so important for our team," Brunette said. "He's going to be relentless in his work ethic and coming back for pucks and going at pucks and just relentless."
Being relentless has served Verhaeghe well since the 26-year-old was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the third round (No. 82) of the 2013 NHL Draft. Verhaeghe wouldn't make his NHL debut until 2019-20 with the Tampa Bay Lightning, who had acquired him in a trade with the New York Islanders in 2017. The Islanders had acquired him from the Maple Leafs in 2015.
In the six years prior to making the NHL, Verhaeghe played for three teams in the American Hockey League (Toronto, Bridgeport and Syracuse) and had two stints with Kansas City of the ECHL.
Still, he never lost faith that he would one day make it.
"I always believed in myself and think I can do it," Verhaeghe said. "You never dream about this."
During his rookie season with the Lightning, Verhaeghe had 13 points (nine goals, four assists) in 52 regular-season games before getting two assists in eight playoff games to help them win the Stanley Cup.
However, since signing the Panthers as a free agent on Oct. 9, 2020, Verhaeghe has seen his game elevate with an increased role. He had 36 points (18 goals, 18 assists) in 43 games last season before getting 55 (24 goals, 31 assists) in 78 games this season. And on a team filled with stars such as Barkov, Giroux and Jonathan Huberdeau, he's reached another level in the playoffs, leading Florida with 10 points (five goals, five assists) through five games against Washington.
"Obviously, you saw what he did," Barkov said. "He scored crucial goals, nice assists, like everything. He played unreal. He's been really good for us the whole series, and I just love seeing him do that. I'm really happy for him."
Despite the praise, Verhaeghe was focused more on the big picture for the Panthers. With one more win, Florida will win its first playoff series since 1996, when it advanced to the Stanley Cup Final before being swept by the Colorado Avalanche.
"We just need to win a game," Verhaeghe said. "So play the same way. … But there's a lot to build from and just kind of play similar."
