SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — In a single shift, Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett showed why he's been one of the most unstoppable players in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
In Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, Bennett knocked Vasily Podkolzin off his feet with a huge hit in the defensive zone, then buried a breakaway goal on the other end moments later.
After the goal, which put the Florida Panthers up 4-1 in the second period of an eventual 6-1 rout of the Edmonton Oilers on Monday night, Bennett pumped his fist and hugged teammate Matthew Tkachuk, whose mouth was wide open, as if neither could believe what had just happened.
That's who Bennett has been throughout the postseason — a hard-hitting, goal-guzzling centerpiece to Florida's third straight run to the Stanley Cup Final. And after another standout performance that strengthened his case for winning the Conn Smythe Trophy given to the playoff MVP, Bennett has the Panthers two wins away from hoisting a championship trophy for the second straight season.
“He's been an animal this whole playoffs. He's built for this time of year," said Brad Marchand, who opened scoring Monday with his eighth goal of the postseason. “Just how competitive he is and how intense. Obviously you see the physicality piece. That shift was a perfect example of his game. He blows two guys up and then somehow leads the rush after that and scores a beautiful goal.”
"He can do it all," Marchand continued. "He doesn't get fazed. He competes and battles and he's not scared to go to the dirty areas. ... When you get in this time of year, you have to be able to go into the dirty areas, and he lives there.”
Marchand had so many positive things to say about Bennett's game that his teammate, Sam Reinhart, nudged him during their postgame media session to finish up his answer.
“Sorry, I've got to wrap it up,” Marchand quipped. “But he's been great.”
Bennett had 51 points (25 goals, 26 assists) during the regular season, which was fifth on the team. His 20 postseason points lead the Panthers, and he has more goals — 14 — than any other player in the playoffs. He's also scored in each of the first three games of the Cup final.
Bennett had two goals in Florida's 4-3 overtime loss at Edmonton in the series opener and opened scoring just two minutes into the Panthers' 5-4 double overtime win in Game 2.
“He’s been incredible,” said Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov. “Obviously he’s scoring goals, but he’s doing so much more other stuff. He’s carrying the puck in the neutral zone. He’s making plays. He’s defending well. He’s just unreal right now.”
Bennett's breakaway goal, which came on an assist from Eetu Luostarinen on Monday, stretched his goal streak to four games, which is a Panthers' postseason record.
“That goal was the perfect Benny goal,” said Tkachuk said, “lays a big hit. (Luostarinen) makes a great block, springs Benny for a breakaway and a great goal.”
Bennett's playoff scoring surge couldn't have come at a better time, with the 28-year-old set to hit free agency at the end of the season.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice, fully aware of Bennett's pending free agency, made sure to issue a warning to any teams interested in his squad's leading postseason scorer.
“Horrible attitude,” Maurice quipped during a midgame television interview. “I think he’s got bubonic plague. Dengue fever. He’s got a whole bunch of things. We’re not sure he can be cured.”
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AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Alanis Thames, The Associated Press
