The Florida Panthers are going back to the Stanley Cup Finals for second consecutive season
The Florida Panthers are going back to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky came up big once again and Sam Bennett scored late in the first period to give the Panthers a lead they wouldn’t relinquish in a series-clinching 2-1 win over the New York Rangers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference final on Saturday at Amerant Bank Arena.
Just like that, the Panthers find themselves contending for a Stanley Cup for the second consecutive season after falling in five games to the Vegas Golden Knights last season. They are the first team since the 2009 Pittsburgh Penguins to return to the Stanley Cup Finals one year after losing in the finals.
Florida will play either the Dallas Stars or Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Oilers lead the Western Conference final 3-2, with Game 6 of that series at 8 p.m. Sunday.
“Last year was first time going that far and it just felt amazing. Personally, it felt amazing,” Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov said, “and you just wanted to do everything you could to get back here. We all know it’s not a one-day thing. Nothing’s going to happen in one day. You gotta start start the grind as soon as possible in the summer and training camp. We talk a lot about training camp and whole season and all the ups and downs that’s included. We all knew that we had the same same goal to get back here and get a little better. That’s what we did. And we’re here again.”
Saturday was another prototypical Panthers performance in a series (and playoffs) full of them, with Florida’s stifling defense and aggressive forechecking limiting the Rangers and paving the way for the offense to strike.
Bennett opened scoring with 49.3 seconds left in the first period when he beat Igor Shesterkin with a one-timer from the left circle after a give-and-go with Evan Rodrigues as they entered the offensive zone. It was Bennett’s sixth goal of the postseason, fourth of the Eastern Conference final and third in as many games.
Bennett’s four goals this series tied Matthew Tkachuk for the most goals by a Panthers player in the round before the finals. His three consecutive games with a goal also matched the longest streak in Panthers postseason history.
“He’s just playing the game,” Maurice said. “His effort level [is the same]. He just couldn’t do as much three weeks ago. The compete and the effort never changes. He’s as consistent a driver as we have that his game looks pretty much the same in terms of how hard he plays every single night. It’s what he is.”
Vladimir Tarasenko then doubled Florida’s lead with 9:52 left in regulation after beating Shesterkin glove side with a wrist shot off a pass from Anton Lundell. It was Tarasenko’s third goal of the playoffs and first since Game 3 of Florida’s second-round series against the Boston Bruins.
Bobrovsky and Florida’s defense did the rest. Bobrovsky stopped all 22 of 23 shots he faced from the Rangers, including the first 21 he faced before Artemi Panarin scored with 1:40 left in regulation to cut Florida’s lead to one goal.
“He’s been an absolute stud all year and especially in the biggest games,” Bennett said. “That seems to be when he’s playing his best hockey, which is just incredible. To have a goalie back there behind us just gives us that much more confidence.”
Put it all together, and it has the Panthers back in the Stanley Cup Finals — four wins away from hoisting the trophy for the first time in franchise history.
“We are not done yet,” star Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk said. “We’re very happy with the way this playoffs has gone for us, winning the first three [series], but it’s a different feeling this time for sure.”
This story was originally published June 1, 2024 at 10:46 PM.
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