Gustaf Forsling turned a scoreless game into a Florida victory with just 4.3 seconds remaining in overtime. His one-time finish at Lenovo Center completed a patient late push by the Panthers and left Carolina with no time to answer. Florida took the game 1-0, ending a night in which neither team found a way through during regulation.
How the Game Played Out
The opening stretch was defined more by the neutral zone than by sustained pressure. The early commentary described little territorial advantage for either club and few established possessions in the offensive zones. Florida produced one of the first notable chances when Anton Lundell cut toward the net and received a pass through the seam, but Carolina’s netminder made the save. It was an early test that kept the game level and set the tone for a closely contested night.
The score remained 0-0 through all three regulation periods, with neither side finding the finish that would separate the teams. Florida had chances to work the puck around the offensive zone, including a long wrist shot that was redirected toward the net and stopped. The sequence showed the Panthers trying to create through traffic, while Carolina’s defensive work and saves kept the puck out. With no regulation goal to settle it, the teams went to overtime still tied.
Carolina had possession for a stretch in overtime and made a deliberate effort to hold onto the puck. Florida eventually got another opportunity, and the closing seconds turned into a composed attack rather than a hurried last chance. Verhaeghe carried across the line and delayed, drawing Carolina’s attention as the clock ran down. With 4.3 seconds left, Forsling took the one-time opportunity and scored. The finish came after Florida had worked the puck low and then advanced with patience; the delayed attack helped create the opening before Carolina could reset.
What the Result Means
Florida leaves with a road win built on staying in a tight game until one decisive chance arrived. The Panthers did not need an early breakthrough to keep pressing: they defended through regulation, got through Carolina’s overtime possession, and made their final attack count. Forsling supplied the finish, but the last sequence also depended on the deliberate work that brought the puck into position and kept Carolina reacting as the clock dwindled.
For Carolina, the narrow loss came despite holding Florida scoreless across regulation and making the stops needed to extend the game. The overtime finish offers little margin for consolation, but the game was still within reach until its final seconds. Florida can carry the result and the composure of its late winner forward, while Carolina’s next challenge will be to turn that kind of close defensive performance into a win.
Watch the Highlights
The decisive sequence is in the closing moments: Florida’s patient overtime advance, Verhaeghe’s delay, and Forsling’s one-time winner with 4.3 seconds remaining. Watch the official NHL highlight video above to see how the final play unfolded.
Final Score: Florida Panthers 1, Carolina Hurricanes 0.
Final Score: Carolina Hurricanes 0, Florida Panthers 1.
Source: NHL.com game data + Highlightly transcript