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Panthers Prospect Sandis Vilmanis Logs 4-Goal Game For AHL Charlotte
TL;DR
Sandis Vilmanis made history by scoring four goals in a single game for the Charlotte Checkers, leading them to a 6-1 victory over the Hershey Bears. This achievement marks him as the first player in Checkers history to accomplish this feat.
One of the top prospects working their way up the pipeline of the Florida Panthers organization made a little history on Sunday.
Forward Sandis Vilmanis scored not one, not twoâŠbut four times for the Charlotte Checkers, Floridaâs AHL affiliate, during their 6-1 victory over the Hershey Bears at Bojangles Coliseum.
âEspecially in your building and being a pro now in your second year, itâs just amazing to score more goals than one,â Vilmanis told local Charlotte media after the game.
Florida selected Vilmanis in the fifth round, 157th overall, at the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.
He is the first player in Checkers team history to score four goals in one game.
âHeâs been a great player and a great story,â said Charlotte Head Coach Geordie Kinnear. âHe has a true love for the game, and when someone has a true love for the game and works at it, the sky is the limit.â
Itâs been quite a year for Vilmanis.
Playing in his second pro season, the young Latvian represented his country at the 2026 Winter Olympics back in February.
He also made his NHL debut in January, racking up his first 19 games in the National while chipping in three goals and two assists with the Panthers.
Interestingly, this isnât Vilmanisâ first four-goal game since making the move to North America.
He scored four times while playing for the OHLâs North Bay Battalion back in 2024 as well.
Still just 22 years old, Vilmanis has opened quite a few eyes during his first two pro campaigns.
He's earned the trust of his coaching staff, who continue to use him in high-leverage situations and send him on the ice with some of the toughest defensive assignments.
Humble and hard-working, Vilmanis will be viewed as someone who could potentially make Floridaâs NHL roster out of training camp next season.
For now, he can enjoy making some Charlotte history while helping prepare the Checkers for what they hope is another long playoff run.
âOf course I canât say that I did it by myself because none of the work is by myself,â Vilmanis said Sunday. âThanks to my teammates, who helped me to score those goals here.â
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Q&A
How many goals did Sandis Vilmanis score in his recent AHL game?
Sandis Vilmanis scored four goals in his recent game for the Charlotte Checkers.
What milestone did Sandis Vilmanis achieve with the Charlotte Checkers?
He became the first player in Charlotte Checkers history to score four goals in a single game.
When was Sandis Vilmanis drafted and by which NHL team?
Sandis Vilmanis was drafted in the fifth round, 157th overall, by the Florida Panthers in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.
