Brady and Matthew Tkachuk's sister Taryn hopes for Panthers vs. Senators game to "go into overtime" while at attendance at Amerant Bank Arena

Brothers Matthew Tkachuk and Brady Tkachuk face each other during the Florida Panthers vs. Ottawa Senators’ Saturday night clash at the Amerant Bank Arena. Their sister Taryn was in attendance at the arena during the game.

Taryn Tkachuk posted a click on her Instagram stories from the game where both her brothers featured on the ice. She captioned the story :

“Please go into overtime 🙏”

via Instagram /@taryntkachuk

The game, however, did not roll into overtime. The Panthers secured a 5-1 victory over the Senators in the battle between brothers Matthew and Brady Tkachuk.

It was the Senators who struck first, when with Carter Verhaeghe in the penalty box for cross-checking, Drake Batherson set up Brady Tkachuk, who found space in the right circle and slid the puck past Sergei Bobrovsky to give Ottawa a 1-0 lead.

Florida responded early in the second period when Matthew Tkachuk evened the score on a power play. Positioned in the right circle just like his brother, he turned and fired the puck inside the far post to make it 1-1.

The Panthers took their first lead of the night shortly after, capitalizing on a delayed penalty. With Ridley Greig tied up with Sam Reinhart, Florida maintained possession, and Sasha Barkov redirected a shot past Linus Ullmark. Then Gustav Forsling went coast to coast before firing a wrist shot into the net, extending Florida’s lead to 3-1 with just over three minutes left in the second period.

Less than two minutes later, Sam Bennett blasted a one-timer past Ullmark. In the final period, with under 90 seconds remaining, Anton Lundell sealed the win with a shorthanded empty-net goal, making it 5-1.

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Matthew Tkachuk addresses ‘tough schedule’ before heading into break

In the post-game interview, Matthew Tkachuk expressed confidence in the way the Panthers have been playing. He felt that even in games they didn’t win, the team had performed well over the past month.

With a challenging schedule, he mentioned how the Panthers refused to make excuses and remained focused. Heading into the 4 Nations Face-Off break, Tkachuk believed the timing was perfect for the team, allowing them to regroup while feeling good about their game.

“It’s been a tough schedule like everybody knows, but everybody’s had that,” he said. “That’s no excuse. We’re definitely happy with the way we’re going into the break. I think it’s coming at a great time for us.” [H/T NHL.com]

He credited the team’s success to their support for one another on the ice. Tkachuk said that by staying aggressive and working together, the Panthers controlled the game.

“We were just skating hard and being supportive of each other,” he added.

Matthew Tkachuk has been on a hot streak, scoring in six straight games and collecting seven goals and 13 points during that time. He’s also had multiple points in five of his last eight games. Tkachuk will serve as an alternate captain for Team USA at the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off.