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

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — 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.

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.

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (9) celebrates with teammates after scoring during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Seattle Kraken, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/David Santiago)

Seattle Kraken center Chandler Stephenson, left, looks on as Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (9) celebrates with teammates after scoring during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/David Santiago)

Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (9) celebrates with teammates after scoring his second goal of an NHL hockey game during the second period against the Seattle Kraken, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/David Santiago)

Florida Panthers center Carter Verhaeghe (23) scores a goal past Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord (35) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/David Santiago)

Florida Panthers center Carter Verhaeghe (23) celebrates with teammates after completing a hat trick during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Seattle Kraken, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/David Santiago)

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Jaylen McGill ran 24 yards for a touchdown with 1:53 remaining for North Carolina’s first points since early in the second quarter and the Tar Heels recovered to beat Duke 24-20 on Saturday.

Billy Edwards Jr. threw for 191 yards and a touchdown plus a key fourth-down completion on the winning drive as North Carolina (4-2, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) won as a road underdog for the second straight week.

“Fortunately, we were able to make a couple more plays than they did,” Tar Heels coach Bill Belichick said. “I thought our guys earned it.”

Duke (4-2, 1-2) took its first lead when Nate Sheppard scored from 7 yards out by reaching the end zone off a short pass from Walker Eget with 4:39 left.

Two years ago in the same stadium, Duke rallied from a 20-0 deficit to beat the Tar Heels.

Sheppard, the nation’s leading rusher in yards per game, was held to 77 yards on 20 carries, though he netted 98 yards on 11 receptions.

North Carolina went more than 41 minutes without scoring before McGill burst through the line with an open path to the end zone.

Edwards, a first-year Tar Heel, said he felt “the weight of this game” because of the importance to each university.

The Tar Heels led 17-0 after Demon June’s 4-yard run on the third play of the second quarter.

Duke began its comeback with safety Andrew Pellicciotta’s 9-yard fumble recovery return for a touchdown in the second quarter.

North Carolina: The Tar Heels managed only about 100 yards after scoring the game’s first 17 points until they marched 78 yards on their final full possession with the outcome on the line. That included a fourth-and-4 conversion from their own 28-yard line with 3:48 left when Edwards connected with Jelani Thurman over the middle for 12 yards.

“I wasn’t punting again,” Belichick said. “I wanted to take our best shot.”

Edwards said, “We had run that play a few times throughout the night.”

Duke: The Blue Devils had won eight consecutive games against in-state opponents. But just like a week earlier at Georgia Tech, they couldn’t hold on after gaining a late lead and gave up the winning touchdown inside the 2-minute timeout.

“I told the team in the locker room that there’s a good football team that’s had two very tough results,” coach Manny Diaz said.

North Carolina players rushed across the field at game’s end to reclaim the Victory Bell, which goes to the winner of the annual matchup.

“It felt amazing,” said receiver Jordan Shipp, whose 5-yard catch in the first quarter marked the game’s first touchdown. “That’s why you come to Carolina, for a rivalry game like that.”

As Belichick spoke to reporters in a small room outside the visiting locker room, sounds of the Victory Bell ringing threatened to interrupted him a few times. He already had his moment.

“I did ring, absolutely,” Belichick said. “I’m sure it’ll be out there on ‘MyFace’ or whatever.”

North Carolina: Hosts Syracuse on Saturday night.

Duke: Friday night at Virginia

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Duke's CJ Campbell (0) is hit by North Carolina's Greg Smith III (1) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Durham, N.C., Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)