The clock hit zero, the final buzzer rang, and the Florida Panthers began their celebration.
With a 2-1 win in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference final against the New York Rangers on Saturday, the Panthers officially punched their ticket back to the Stanley Cup Finals for a second consecutive season.
There were hugs aplenty, hooping and hollering in the moment.
But compared to a year ago, after they swept the Carolina Hurricanes to get to the Stanley Cup Finals, this time felt ... different. A little calmer. A little more tranquil. A little more business-like.
“Last year after we finished the Carolina series, pandemonium’s not the right word, but the energy level postgame was through the roof,” coach Paul Maurice said. “Slightly subdued this year relative to that. Lots of happy people, but maybe we’ve got a little more experience now. And I feel like even on the bench, it wasn’t insanity when the buzzer went.”
Last year, the Panthers’ run to the Stanley Cup Final came as the team played with house money. They barely squeaked their way into the playoffs before going on a miraculous run with series wins over the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes before injuries finally took their toll and a depleted roster got ousted by the Vegas Golden Knights in five games.
This year, the goal was elevated. The Panthers didn’t want to just get back to the playoffs or just reach the Stanley Cup Finals.
The aspiration was to finish last season’s unfinished business. The goal was to finally bring the Stanley Cup to Sunrise.
After Saturday’s win - with Sam Bennett and Vladimir Tarasenko scoring goals and Sergei Bobrovsky once again being stellar in net - they are four wins away from doing so.
“We expected to be back here,” star Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk said. “Obviously, nothing’s guaranteed, but we were expecting this the way we’ve been working, the way we’ve been dialed in and detailed. We’re very happy to be back, but the job’s not finished.”
It’s worth nothing the Panthers simply getting back to the Cup Finals is something worth celebrating, especially when looking at the history behind it.
How rare is it for a team to reach the Stanley Cup Finals in consecutive seasons? Well, the Panthers are the sixth in the past 30 years to do so, joining the Tampa Bay Lightning (2020-2022), Pittsburgh Penguins (2016-2017 and 2008-2009), Detroit Red Wings (2008-2009 and 1997-1998), New Jersey Devils (2000-2001) and Dallas Stars (1999-2000).
Now, how rare is it for a team to return to the Stanley Cup Finals the year after losing in the Cup Finals? Well, since the NHL’s expansion era began in 1967-68, only five teams have done it, including only two instances in the past 45 years: the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009 and the Edmonton Oilers in 1984, both of whom won the Stanley Cup on the second try.
How did the Panthers accomplish what so few have been able to do before them?
There are many factors.
For starters, look at the Panthers’ roster construction. It’s deeper this season than this time a year ago.
Florida has 15 NHL-quality forwards for 12 spots on game day, and eight defensem*n who could suit up for six spots. General manager Bill Zito beefed up the roster with three key defensem*n signings - Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Niko Mikkola and Dmitry Kulikov - to help offset the early absences of Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour. He signed forward Evan Rodrigues to add speed and versatility to their top-nine group and Kevin Stenlund to anchor the fourth line and be a major contributor on the penalty kill. Steven Lorentz and Jonah Gadjovich, also acquired this offseason, also added to that depth. And then veterans Tarasenko and Kyle Okposo were added to the mix at the trade deadline. That doesn’t even begin to mention goaltender Anthony Stolarz, who formed a dominant one-two punch in net during the regular season with Bobrovsky.
That depth has been on full display, too, with 18 of 20 Panthers skaters who have appeared in a game this playoffs producing at least one point.
“When you make it to the finals, I don’t know how many teams actually get better the next year,” Maurice said, “because you’re usually paying a bunch of guys ... so you’re going to lose some guys. Our hockey team got better from last year to this year. We had good men last year and I still love that year and I love this year separately and differently than any other year that I’ve coached, but our hockey team is better this year.”
From there, take a look at the group’s work ethic. That starts at training camp, when Maurice grinds them nonstop for the first five days, establishing the physical edge and endurance that the team would come to play with for the entirety of the season.
“That’s when Mo sets the standard of how hard things are going to be,” Lorentz said. “It’s not always going to be the most fun, but when you see a group of guys buy in, it doesn’t matter what your background is or where you come from or where you played before. As long as you’ve got that 25 guys or however many we’ve got pulling on the same rope, eventually you’ll come together.”
And then there was the fact that, as Tkachuk phrased it, the team had “just one mindset of doing whatever we can to get back to it.”
“I thought the guys that were here last year did an unbelievable job coming back for the start of camp with this on their mind,” Tkachuk said. “It’s a different feel this year, for sure.”
And it has them on the doorstep of accomplishing their ultimate goal.
Four wins left.
“The job is not done,” Bobrovsky said. “We made just a step. There’s a good challenge in front of us, and we’re excited for it.”
