NHL: Matthew Tkachuk scores ANOTHER OT game winner as Panthers take 2-0 series lead over Hurricanes

Matthew Tkachuk did it again for the Panthers, scoring an overtime goal to beat the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh as Florida prepare to head home with a 2-0 lead in the Conference Finals from the east.

Technically it was Game 2 of the series, but it was effectively Game 3 after the two teams went on a four-overtime marathon in Game 1 on Thursday – a game that also ended in a Tkachuk winner .

Jalen Chatfield of Carolina got the Hurricanes on the board in the first period, scoring his first playoff goal on assists from Sebastian Aho and Stefan Noesen.

But as has been the case throughout the playoffs, Florida didn’t stay down long as Aleksander Barkov equalized with a Josh Mahura pass in the second period.

Panthers and Hurricanes players may still be recovering from Thursday’s marathon four-overtime game, which Florida won on a Matthew Tkachuk goal after 139 minutes of action. The game ended as the sixth longest in NHL history.

Tkachuk completed a pass from Sam Reinhart 1:51 into overtime on Saturday.

Less than two days after scoring the winner in a four-overtime thriller, Tkachuk was successful again, this time on the power play after a game victory by the Panthers. Sam Bennett found Reinhart on the left side, who sent the puck to Tkachuk for an easy finish against an extended Antti Raanta.

Tkachuk immediately skated to the door on the boards leading to the Florida locker room, signaling to his teammates that it was time to roll out and celebrate.

Just like that, Florida won on the road for the eighth straight playoff time and improved to 6-0 in playoff overtime.

Florida has home-court advantage for the next two games, starting Monday with Game 3 at Sunrise.

Each team also had a goal disallowed in a video review challenge for an unpenalized offside when entering the area leading up to the scores.