Matthew Tkachuk: Panthers Were 'Counted Out' Before Stanley Cup Final 'Even Started'

Despite getting blown out in the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final, the Florida Panthers weren't panicking when they returned home for Game 3 looking to avoid falling into an 0-3 hole.

Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk told reporters everyone "counted us out before the Final even started" after Thursday's dramatic 3-2 overtime win against the Vegas Golden Knights.

"We're that type of team where we know what the end goal [is]," he added. "We don't know how we're going to get there, but we're going to do everything we can to get there."

Tkachuk, who briefly left the game in the first period to be evaluated for a concussion, kept the Panthers' hopes alive in Game 3 when he scored an empty-net goal with 2:13 remaining in the third period to tie the score 2-2.

Carter Verhaeghe won the game for Florida with his goal 4:27 into the overtime session.

The Panthers' postseason run has been a huge surprise after a rough regular season. They had the fewest points of any team that made the playoffs (92) and had to play a Boston Bruins team that set NHL records with 65 wins and 135 points in the regular season.

After falling behind 3-1 to the Bruins, the Panthers won the final three games in the series (two in overtime) to reach the second round. That was the start of a run in which they won 11 of 12 games, including a sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final, to reach the Stanley Cup Final.

The Golden Knights dominated the first two games of the Cup Final, outscoring the Panthers 12-4.

Florida was able to respond thanks to Tkachuk's heroics and put the pressure back on Vegas going into Game 4 on Saturday night.