FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Carter Verhaeghe pulled his vehicle out of the players' parking lot after leaving the Florida Panthers' practice facility on Monday afternoon, only to notice about 50 fans standing on the side of the road clamoring for autographs.
So, he stopped and signed for a while. Brandon Montour did the same. More players, like captain Aleksander Barkov, followed suit a few minutes later. The fans — some kids, some adults, some carrying signs, some wearing jerseys — were, as would be expected, thrilled.
Down 2-1 in the Eastern Conference final to the New York Rangers, the Panthers — seeking a second consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Final — still believe going into Game 4 on their home ice Tuesday night.