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Panthers Rout Kraken 8-3 as Verhaeghe and Bennett Record Hat Tricks
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- Panthers Rout Kraken 8-3 as Verhaeghe and Bennett Record Hat Tricks
The Seattle Kraken had a night to forget on Saturday, losing 8-3 to the Florida Panthers after Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett each recorded hat-trucks, making it a historic night for the opposing team.
Florida got off to a quick start when Bennett scored just over a minute into the game. Freddy Gaudreau answered for Seattle, but the Kraken couldn't hold on for long. Verhaeghe scored twice in a 71-second span late in the first period, giving Florida a 3-1 lead.
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Things got worse for Seattle in the second. Verhaeghe scored again to complete his hat trick, and Bennett added another goal as the Panthers continued to pull away. Bennett got his third in the final period, capping a three-goal performance of his own.
Gaudreau scored again for Seattle, while Shane Wright and Ryker Evans also found the net. Kaapo Kakko and Berkly Catton each had two assists, but the Kraken couldn't keep up with Florida. Matthew Tkachuk picked up three assists for the Panthers, with Niko Mikkola and Sam Reinhart also getting on the scoresheet.
The win gave Florida a place in NHL history. Brady Tkachuk had scored natural hat tricks against Columbus and Vancouver earlier in the week, and Verhaeghe continued the streak against Seattle. The Panthers are now the first team in league history to record natural hat tricks in three consecutive games.
Florida has also recorded four hat tricks in its last three games, matching the number it had managed over the previous three regular seasons combined.
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Saturday's game was also a return to Seattle for Mackie Samoskevich, who played for Florida before being traded to the Kraken in June. He spent three seasons with the Panthers, scoring 27 goals in 156 games and being part of the team during its 2024 and 2025 Stanley Cup championship runs.
The Kraken acquired Samoskevich for two draft picks, one of which Florida later used in a deal to bring in Brady Tkachuk. Samoskevich had started well in Seattle, recording three goals and an assist in his first seven games.
But there wasn't much room for that storyline to take center stage on Saturday. Florida kept scoring, and Seattle had no real answer. The Kraken will need to tighten things up defensively after allowing eight goals, while the Panthers will look to carry their hot streak into their next game.
