Verhaeghe, Bennett each get hat tricks, Panthers roll past Kraken 8-3

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Carter Verhaeghe had a history-making natural hat trick, Sam Bennett scored his first three goals of the season and the Florida Panthers rolled past the Seattle Kraken 8-3 on Saturday night.

The Panthers became the first team in NHL history with natural hat tricks in three consecutive games, after Brady Tkachuk had them in wins over Columbus on Tuesday and Vancouver on Thursday. Florida also became only the third team in 30 years to have a hat trick — of any variety — in three consecutive games.

With four hat tricks already this season — all coming in the last three games — Florida has matched its total from the last three regular seasons combined. Niko Mikkola and Sam Reinhart also scored for the Panthers, and Matthew Tkachuk had three assists.

Freddy Gaudreau, Shane Wright and Ryker Evans had goals for Seattle, while Kaapo Kakko and Berkly Catton both had two-assist games.

Verhaeghe got his first two goals of the night 1:11 apart late in the first period, then struck again with 13:58 left in the second to push Florida's lead to 4-1. Bennett opened the scoring for Florida just 1:05 into the game, and he added goals in both the second and third periods.

Former Panthers forward Mackie Samoskevich made his return to Florida, after joining the Kraken this offseason.

Samoskevich scored 27 goals in 156 games with Florida over the last three seasons, getting his name on the Stanley Cup after the Panthers won their second consecutive title in 2025. Florida traded him to Seattle in June for a pair of picks, one of which was used that same day to help complete the Panthers' trade with Ottawa for Brady Tkachuk.

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Samoskevich had three goals and an assist for the Kraken in their first seven games.

Kraken: Host Detroit on Tuesday.

Panthers: Visit Ottawa on Wednesday.

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