Tkachuk sends Panthers to Stanley Cup Final, after topping Hurricanes for sweep

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Matthew Tkachuk scored a power-play goal with 4.9 seconds left, Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 36 shots to cap off a brilliant series, and the Florida Panthers earned their first trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 27 years by beating the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 on Wednesday night to win the Eastern Conference title in a sweep.

Tkachuk’s goal was his second of the night — and maybe the biggest in Panthers’ history. The Panthers will play either Vegas or Dallas for the Stanley Cup starting sometime next week; Vegas currently leads the Western Conference title series 3-0.

The Panthers scored 10 goals in the series, and Bobrovsky ensured those were all they needed. Four games, four one-goal wins, three of them coming from Tkachuk in dramatic fashion — two in overtime to end Games 1 and 2, and then this one to cap Florida’s stunning rise from No. 8 seed to East champions.

Ryan Lomberg and Anthony Duclair had the other goals for Florida, which swept a series for the first time in franchise history.

Jordan Staal — his brothers Eric and Marc play for the Panthers — took a tripping penalty with 57 seconds left in regulation, setting up the power-play that Tkachuk finished off.