Brad Marchand Returns with a Bang, Lifts Panthers Past Wild in OT Thriller
Brad Marchand didn’t just return to the lineup Saturday night - he put his stamp on it. After missing seven straight games with a lower-body injury, the veteran forward showed exactly why he’s such a difference-maker, tallying three points, including the overtime game-winner, in the Florida Panthers’ 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild.
It was Marchand’s 24th and 25th goals of the season, and if he had any rust from the time off, it didn’t show. He gave Florida a 2-1 lead late in the first period and then sealed the win in overtime, finishing a 2-on-1 rush with Carter Verhaeghe with just two minutes left in the extra frame.
Let’s be clear: this was a special teams showcase from both sides. All three of Minnesota’s goals came either on the power play or shorthanded, while Florida struck twice with the man advantage and then cashed in during 3-on-3 overtime. It was a chess match of special teams execution - and missteps - with Marchand playing both hero and, briefly, villain.
After Sam Reinhart opened the scoring early in the first with a rebound goal off an Aaron Ekblad point shot, Minnesota answered quickly on the power play. Kirill Kaprizov’s shot deflected off Ekblad and past Sergei Bobrovsky to tie it up.
Marchand responded later in the period, slicing through the slot and snapping a backhander through Filip Gustavsson’s glove to give Florida a 2-1 edge heading into the first intermission.
But the Wild weren’t going away. Joel Eriksson Ek cleaned up a rebound from another Kaprizov shot on the power play in the second to make it 2-2. Then, in the third, Marchand coughed up the puck in the neutral zone while on the power play, and Matt Boldy made him pay, racing in for a shorthanded goal that gave the Wild a 3-2 lead.
To Marchand’s credit, he didn’t let the turnover define his night. Just over a minute later, Florida’s power play struck again. A clearing attempt deflected off Marchand and landed on Matthew Tkachuk’s stick, who quickly fed Sam Bennett in front for the equalizer.
With the game tied at 3-3 and under five minutes to go, the Panthers were forced to kill off a Niko Mikkola penalty - a crucial moment that kept the door open for Marchand’s redemption arc.
Overtime started slowly for Florida. The Panthers didn’t even touch the puck for the first 2:10.
But on their third possession of the extra frame, Verhaeghe and Marchand broke out on a 2-on-1. Verhaeghe carried it in, waited out the defender, and slid the puck across to Marchand, who buried the game-winner.
Clinical.
Quick Hits:
- Sam Reinhart continues to be one of the most consistent offensive weapons in the league. His goal Saturday marked the fifth straight season he’s hit the 25-goal mark with the Panthers - tying Olli Jokinen’s franchise record for consecutive 25-goal campaigns.
- Marchand’s overtime winner was the 22nd of his career, putting him third all-time in NHL history behind only Alex Ovechkin (27) and Sidney Crosby (25).
That’s elite company.
- Minnesota head coach John Hynes hit a milestone of his own, becoming just the fourth American to coach 800 NHL games. A testament to his longevity behind the bench.
Scoring Summary:
- Panthers 1, Wild 0 (6:44 1st): Ekblad’s point shot creates a juicy rebound, and Reinhart is right there to clean it up.
- Wild 1, Panthers 1 (9:17 1st, PP): Kaprizov’s quick release deflects off Ekblad and sneaks past Bobrovsky.
- Panthers 2, Wild 1 (18:20 1st, PP): Marchand drives the middle and beats Gustavsson with a slick backhander.
- Wild 2, Panthers 2 (4:33 2nd, PP): Eriksson Ek cashes in on a rebound to tie it again.
- Wild 3, Panthers 2 (12:09 3rd, SH): Boldy capitalizes on a Marchand turnover and scores on the breakaway.
- Panthers 3, Wild 3 (13:11 3rd, PP): Marchand gets a bit of puck luck, and Bennett finishes the play in front.
- Panthers 4, Wild 3 (3:00 OT): Verhaeghe to Marchand, game over.
3 Stars of the Game:
- Brad Marchand (Panthers): Two goals, one assist, and the OT dagger. Welcome back.
- Sam Reinhart (Panthers): Another milestone goal in a season full of them.
- Kirill Kaprizov (Wild): Driving force on the power play, involved in both of Minnesota’s man-advantage goals.
Next Up:
The Panthers head to Chicago for Game No. 51 of the season, where they’ll face the Blackhawks on Sunday night. Florida won the first meeting back in October, 3-2, and will look to complete the season sweep.
Puck drops at 7 p.m. ET at the United Center.
After that, it’s back home to take on the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday.