On a night of milestones, Bobrovsky moves up wins list as Panthers beat Kraken in shootout

Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald on Mar 24, 2026

Published in Hockey

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MIAMI — Sergei Bobrovsky wanted to get in on the Florida Panthers’ milestone celebrations on Tuesday.

But to do so, it took a miraculous effort after the Panthers’ near late collapse.

After giving up three goals in a span of 2:21 late in the third period to send the game to overtime, Bobrovsky was perfect beyond regulation as the Panthers beat the Seattle Kraken 5-4 via shootout at Amerant Bank Arena. Vinnie Hinostroza scored the only goal in the shootout to seal Florida’s win.

The win is the 455th of Bobrovsky’s career, which breaks a tie with Curtis Joseph for the seventh-most in NHL history. Bobrovsky got there in his 802nd career game; Joseph played 943 games during his NHL career.

“He made some big saves,” forward Eetu Luostarinen said, “and stepped up huge in the shootout.”

Bobrovsky’s milestone performance came on the same night Paul Maurice coached in his 2,000th NHL game — a feat only previously hit by the legendary Scotty Bowman — and defenseman Aaron Ekblad played in his 800th career game, all with the Panthers.

But it almost didn’t come.

After Florida (35-32-3) build a 4-1 lead with 7:39 left to play, Seattle (31-29-10) mounted a ferocious comeback down the stretch to even the game and force overtime.

Matty Beniers made it 4-2 with 5:43 left to play on a wrist shot as he was falling to the ice from up close.

Jordan Eberle and Bobby McMann then scored 14 seconds apart, at 16:24 and 16:38 of the third period, to tie the game and cap scoring in what ultimately was a seven-goal frame.

The Panthers held Seattle without a shot on goal in overtime, although the Kraken did have four shot attempts and three scoring chances.

In the shootout, Bobrovsky stopped Frederick Gaudreau, McMann and Eberle to secure the win. That made Hinostroza’s shootout make enough to lift the win.

“There just wasn’t much going on for him for a long time in that game,” Maurice said. “And then three heaters down the pipe; tough for him. And then you get to shootout, and he’s so good there for us.”

Nolan Foote opened scoring for the Panthers on a breakaway 2:32 into the second period. It was his first goal with Florida after being called up last week and his first in the NHL since April 11, 2024.

Luostarinen and Carter Verhaeghe then scored goals 2:21 apart in the third period to push Florida’s lead to 3-0 before Seattle’s Ryker Evans broke up Bobrovsky’s shutout bid 8:50 into the third.

Noah Gregor, who was recalled ahead of Tuesday’s game and had the primary assist on Foote’s goal, then scored with 7:39 left to play when his cross-ice pass went off a Kraken player’s stick and into their net to push Florida’s lead back to three goals before Seattle mounted its comeback bid.

The Panthers got the win despite being without a slew of regulars.

Among those out on Tuesday: Forwards Aleksander Barkov (right knee), Sam Reinhart (foot), Brad Marchand (lower body), Anton Lundell (upper body), Mackie Samoskevich (laceration) and A.J. Greer (suspension) plus defensemen Niko Mikkola (left knee) and Uvis Balinskis (foot).

Florida hosts the Minnesota Wild on Thursday.

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