Panthers Rout Kraken as Bennett, Verhaeghe Break Through

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Panthers Rout Kraken as Bennett, Verhaeghe Break Through

Originally posted on Florida Panthers On SI
By Kaitlin Gombar | Last updated Oct 18, 2026 10:48 AM ET

Does anyone know where to find Florida Panthers hats?

They might be in short supply because they're all on the ice at Amerant Bank Arena.

Over the past three games, the Panthers (5-2-2) have had a total of four hat tricks, with two coming in Saturday evening's 8-3 rout of the Seattle Kraken, in which Sam Bennett and Carter Verhaeghe got in on the fun. It has been a remarkable run of late for the Panthers, who were challenged by the injuries to Aleksander Barkov and Brad Marchand but has responded with a rush of offense from their other key forwards.

The prior two games, it was Brady Tkachuk with natural hat tricks. This time, Tkachuk's linemate, Sam Bennett, was one of the scoring stars. Bennett, the Conn Smythe winner two postseasons ago, finally scored his first three goals of the season, the first just two minutes in.

And that was just the start. Bennett would score twice more before the end of the night.

Verhaeghe wasn't to be upstaged. The veteran wing scored three times, all in a row -- classified as a natural trick -- during the late stage of the first period and the early part of the second. His goals (slapshot, wristshot, wristshot) put the Panthers ahead 4-1, and gave him six on the season. Verhaeghe has always been known more for his playoff prowess with the Panthers, but he's getting it going sooner this season.

With Verhaeghe's third goal, the Panthers set another record in their young season. They became the first team in NHL history to score a natural hat trick in three consecutive games.

In addition to that, according to the NHL, "the Panthers became the second team in the past 105 years to record four or more hat tricks over a three game span (or fewer)." Another fun fact: "The Panthers are the first team in over 100 years to record four or more hat tricks before their 10th game of the season."

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Bennett and Verhaeghe also became the first pair of teammates in Florida Panthers franchise history to score hat tricks together in the same game. And while neither of the Tkachuks scored, they both contributed to the victory, as they've been rolling since coach Paul Maurice reluctantly put them the same line, a move that was forced by the absence of Barkov and Marchand.

Matthew Tkachuk finished with three assists and Brady Tkachuk with two. In just the last three games, the brothers have combined for 18 points.

The power play unit contributed two of the eight goals, as it's shown life after a slow start. All in all, the Panthers are showing the depth of their attack, something that was questioned after the injuries.

And now, the team will go back on the road, and not just anywhere, but Ottawa. Brady Tkachuk returns to his former team and, while the fans there may hurl more than hats, the Panthers appear ready for anything.

This article first appeared on Florida Panthers On SI and was syndicated with permission.

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