In a thrilling Game 6 at home, the Florida Panthers secured a 5-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers, clinching their second consecutive Stanley Cup title and extending Lord Stanley's stay in South Florida.
Sam Reinhart stole the show with a four-goal performance – a feat not seen in a Final since Maurice Richard in 1957 – igniting rats and hats to rain down on the ice.
Matthew Tkachuk, a franchise icon, sealed the win with the Cup-clinching goal, while goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 28 of 29 shots to shut the door on Edmonton's comeback hopes.
Commissioner Gary Bettman presented the trophy to captain Aleksander Barkov, noting, "It feels like we just did this," as fans chanted "We want the Cup!"
Behind a healthy core and savvy trades that added Brad Marchand and Seth Jones, the Panthers have won 11 of 12 playoff series since the summer of 2022, forging a modern-day dynasty.
Sam Bennett led all postseason scorers with 15 goals, earning the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP, and first-time champion Nate Schmidt captured his moment with tears of joy.
With three straight Finals appearances and two championships, this special group in South Florida is already talking dynasty: "This is as good as the first one," Reinhart says.
From the electric celebrations to the historic milestones, the Panthers' repeat run shows how data-driven roster moves and relentless execution can power a team to greatness – and inspire a global fanbase.
Join the conversation and tell us which moment from the Panthers' journey inspired you most.
Reference(s):
Panthers repeat as Stanley Cup champions by beating Oilers in 6 games
cgtn.com
