WATCH: Panthers Postgame with Verhaeghe, Reinhart, Barkov & Brunette

The Florida Panthers deserved to win on Monday night.

They were the better team yet were on the verge of being in big, big trouble in this first-round series.

Then they finally solved Ilya Samsonov — and it couldn’t have come at a better time.

With over three minutes left, Andrew Brunette pulled Sergei Bobrovsky and the risk paid off. Although the Capitals almost put a puck into the empty net, they ultimately did not and Sam Reinhart got his first career playoff goal to tie the score at 2.

In overtime, it was 2020 Stanley Cup champ Carter Verhaeghe with the heroics, scoring just under five minutes in to send the Panthers back to Sunrise victorious.

And tied up.

Below is the postgame reaction from Verhaeghe, Reinhart, Sasha Barkov and Brunette as well as the FHN Panthers Postgame which was recorded Live! in front of a studio audience.

If you count the lizard who snuck in this afternoon an audience, that is.

Now, I have to go find that lizard.

NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

ROUND 1

PANTHERS V. CAPITALS (TIED 2-2)

• Game 5: Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.
• Where: FLA Live Arena, Sunrise  
• TV/Streaming: Bally Sports Florida, ESPN2
• Radio: WQAM 560 (Miami/Fort Lauderdale); WMEN 640 (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3 (Florida Keys); SiriusXM 
• Tickets: CLICK HERE

PANTHERS V. CAPITALS

• Regular season series — Florida won 2-1: @Florida 5, Washington 4 OT (Nov. 4);  @Washington 4, Panthers 3 (Nov. 26); @Florida 5, Washington 4 (Nov. 30)
• All-time regular season series: Capitals lead 67-44-11, 9 ties
• Playoff history: First meeting
• First-round schedule — Game 1: Washington 4, @Florida 2; Game 2: @Florida 5, Washington 1; Game 3: @Washington 6, Florida 1; Game 4: Florida 3, @Washington 2 (OT); Game 5: Washington at Florida, Wednesday, 7:30 (ESPN2/BSF); Game 6: Florida at Washington, Friday (Time, National TV TBA); Game 7*: Washington at Florida, Sunday. *If necessary