Steven Stamkos delivered yet another dagger to the Florida Panthers — and a dramatic one at that. His goal with 57 seconds left in overtime lifted the Nashville Predators to a 2–1 victory on Thursday night in Sunrise, sealing the team’s fourth win in five games and continuing Stamkos’ long-running dominance over the Panthers.

The finish wasn’t without controversy. Stamkos’ shot crossed the line just as the net appeared slightly off its moorings, but after a brief review the goal stood. For Stamkos, it marked his 53rd career goal against Florida, including playoffs — the most by any player in NHL history versus the Panthers.

The Panthers entered the matchup desperately seeking a spark as the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, but instead suffered their fourth straight loss and fifth consecutive defeat at home.

Still, Florida found one bright spot: Carter Verhaeghe, who returned to the lineup just two days after the birth of his son, Rory. After missing Tuesday’s loss to Toronto to be with his family, Verhaeghe made it back in time for morning skate and later scored the lone Panthers goal.

Florida goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 27 shots, including a highlight moment in the second period when he was beaten by Stamkos only for defenseman Niko Mikkola to sweep the puck off the goal line. But the Panthers couldn’t capitalize on Bobrovsky’s strong night as their offensive struggles continued.

The Panthers held a 1–0 lead deep into the third period before Ryan O’Reilly broke through for Nashville, burying the tying goal with 6:19 remaining. That set the stage for overtime, where the Predators controlled pace and possession.

On the decisive play, Nashville broke out on a rush. Stamkos charged in on the right side, fired a laser past Bobrovsky, and as the puck hit the back of the net, the Predators spilled over the boards — even as officials immediately began reviewing the play due to the net’s movement. The call held, and so did Nashville’s momentum.

Goaltender Juuse Saros was stellar once again, stopping 30 shots and keeping the Predators within striking distance until O’Reilly and Stamkos completed the comeback.

Predators: Visit the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday. Panthers: Look to halt their skid when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets, also on Saturday.

Nashville leaves South Florida with a dramatic victory; the Panthers leave searching for answers.