Panthers Pounce Again: Florida's Back-to-Back Stanley Cup Triumph
It’s official! The Florida Panthers have won the Stanley Cup again, marking their second championship win in three years. After losing to the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023, the Panthers grinded and grinded to keep themselves as the top team in the league and they’ve got the trophy (twice) to prove it. Their mascot may be a panther, but they’ve got that dog in them. Captain Aleksander Barkov, along with Sam Bennett — Conn Smythe Trophy winner (MVP) — Sam Reinhart (who scored 4 of the Panthers' 5 goals in Game 6), and the rest of the Florida Panthers continue to prove time and time again that they are champions."Cue the signature FLA Panther growl.
Journey to the Center of the Ice:
Before Aleksander Barkov could accept the Stanley Cup on behalf of the Panthers, there was a brutal battle to get to that iconic moment. While it wasn’t running dinosaurs like Brendan Fraser and Josh Hutcherson in Journey to the Center of the Earth, originally a novel by Jules Verne, Florida did exchange dinos for diesel in playing the Edmonton Oilers.
Paws off the Prince of Wales Trophy v. Clutching the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl
DraftKings Sportsbook via X
After 2023, when the Panthers famously touched the Eastern Conference trophy (Prince of Wales Trophy) and lost to the Vegas Golden Knights, Florida’s head coach, Paul Maurice, listened to his gut (and superstition) and told Aleksander Barkov and the rest of the team not to touch it again. Maurice was quoted in 2024 as saying, “It has nothing to do with anything, but we play our silly games.” Paul, we know it isn’t just a silly game to you and the rest of the hockey community; you’re not fooling anyone. The Panthers followed this same mentality this year and it seems to be working for them!
As for the Edmonton Oilers, who also did not touch the Western Conference trophy (Clarence S. Campbell Bowl), decided to mix it up and opted to carry the cup. That was a bold move on their part. Connor McDavid and the team hoped it would bring them luck in the final. Clearly, it wasn’t in the cards (or in the cup) for them this year. Will this superstition claim another victim in the Oilers after this year?
Skinner’s Stanley Struggles
AP Photos/ Michael Laughlin
Stuart Skinner, the Edmonton Oilers starting goalie, has a particularly rough final. The veteran goalie was pulled from both games 3 and 4 due to his poor performance. Pulling a player from play is a significant decision, as most coaches choose to maintain their confidence in their players to boost morale and support them. In fact, Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch chose this approach going into game 6 of the final by putting Skinner back in. It's safe to say he may be kicking himself for that decision, with the game’s final score being 5-1. In games 3 and 4, Skinner was replaced with backup goalie Calvin Pickard after he allowed five goals during game three and three goals in the first period of game four before being pulled. The Oilers ended up winning game 4 with Pickard in net. Overall, the Oilers’ goalie struggles were a major factor in their demise against Florida.
Like Oil and Water? Try Like the Oilers and the Panthers
In Game 3, in a game already littered with scuffles after the whistle, there was a full-blown brawl between Edmonton and Florida. The fight was triggered when Trent Frederic of the Oilers cross-checked Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers (Bennett being known for dirty checks). It ended in multiple penalties for both teams, which resulted in gameplay being halted for several players. Chippy behavior continued after the fight, with more minor skirmishes and penalties. The Panthers dominated this game, 6-1, and ultimately took the lead in the series, 2-1. Florida is a fairly physical team known for their aggressive playing style; this fight surely lit a fire within them that helped them with this barnburner of a win.
The Final:
NY Times
Nuff said. Congratulations to the Florida Panthers on a perfect end to an incredible season!