The Florida Panthers were the last ones standing following a chaotic 7-5 victory over the Boston Bruins in Game 6, which featured a combined seven goals in the third period.
Eetu Luostarinen netted the game-winner with just under six minutes remaining in regulation, forcing the first-round series to go the distance.
THE PANTHERS LEAD ONCE AGAIN 🥵 pic.twitter.com/4D8qN1csyF
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 29, 2023
Sam Reinhart gave the Panthers some breathing room with an empty-netter, ending the Bruins' comeback hopes once and for all.
The Panthers carried a 3-2 edge heading into the final frame, but Bruins forwards Tyler Bertuzzi and David Pastrnak each scored their second goal of the contest in quick succession to give Boston its first lead of the game.
That lead was short-lived, though, as Zac Dalpe knotted it at 4-4 just over three minutes later with his first-ever playoff goal.
The Panthers looked to be in the driver's seat after Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm took a delay of game penalty for flipping the puck over the glass, but Jake DeBrusk made sure to have his teammate's back by scoring a slick shorthanded goal.
DEBRUSK WITH THE SHORTY! pic.twitter.com/r2WgefNCbx
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 29, 2023
However, the carnage didn't stop there, as Panthers superstar Matthew Tkachuk unsurprisingly stepped up and scored on the power play 27 seconds after DeBrusk made it 5-4.
Matthew Tkachuk, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!@FlaPanthers | #TimeToHunt pic.twitter.com/S3eyTc2zo7
— Bally Sports Florida & Bally Sports Sun (@BallySportsFL) April 29, 2023
"That was a huge win for us," Luostarinen said postgame, per Bally Sports Florida. "I think we were the team that wanted it more."
Captain Aleksander Barkov appreciated the energy those in attendance at FLA Live Arena brought throughout the contest.
"I couldn't really hear what was going on in my head for the past, like, 20 minutes," he said. "It was insane. It was awesome to be a part of."
The appropriately nicknamed "Cardiac Cats" have won two straight games to even the series after the Bruins took a commanding 3-1 lead. Tkachuk had a message for his team after winning Game 5, asking, "We were supposed to get swept in this series, right?"
Forward Anthony Duclair mirrored Tkachuk's confidence Friday.
"Down 3-1 (in the series), in this locker room, there wasn't a single doubt that we could come back," he said, per team beat reporter Jameson Olive. "We believed we could come back, and now we've just got to finish the job."
TD Garden will host the series-deciding Game 7 on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET.
