The Florida Panthers have clinched their berth in the Stanley Cup Final for the third consecutive season. Their journey to get there on Wednesday night required overcoming an initial challenge.
In Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final, Florida successfully erased an early 2-0 deficit to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes with a final score of 5-3. Playing on home ice with strong crowd support, the Hurricanes started brightly. Sebastian Aho netted two goals in the first period, giving Carolina a 2-0 advantage by the first intermission.
However, the Panthers subsequently found their rhythm, and that proved decisive against the Canes. At the 7:23 mark of the second period, Matthew Tkachuk breathed life into Florida by tipping in a power play goal, putting his team on the scoreboard.
Tkachuk`s goal triggered a rapid scoring sequence for Florida, with three goals coming in a span of just 4:26. The Panthers took the lead when Anton Lundell outmaneuvered Aho to the front of the net and finished a well-placed pass from Aleksander Barkov and Sam Bennett.
Carolina did show resilience in the third period. An intense forecheck resulted in Seth Jarvis executing a stunning shot over Sergei Bobrovsky`s shoulder, tying the game at 3-3.
That equalizer injected much-needed energy into the Hurricanes and the arena crowd. Nevertheless, their renewed momentum was short-lived.
Less than four minutes later, Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov delivered a standout play. He muscled off Carolina defenseman Dmitry Orlov, deked around Eric Robinson, and found Carter Verhaeghe open at the back door for what proved to be the game-winning goal.
Barkov also registered an assist on Sam Bennett`s empty-net goal, making him one of four Panthers players to record multiple points in the game. Bennett, Sam Reinhart, and Tkachuk were the others.
The Panthers have now become just the fourth team since 1980 to reach the Stanley Cup Final in three successive years. They join the distinguished company of the New York Islanders, Edmonton Oilers, and Tampa Bay Lightning.
Echoing their approach before winning the Cup last season, the Panthers chose not to touch the Prince of Wales Trophy after the on-ice ceremony. Their focus remains on the ultimate championship prize. This could potentially lead to a Cup rematch with the Edmonton Oilers, who currently lead the Dallas Stars 3-1 in the Western Conference Final and have a chance to clinch in Game 5 on Thursday night.
On the other hand, the Hurricanes have now been eliminated in the Eastern Conference Final in two of the last three seasons. Their record in their previous four appearances at this stage is 1-16.
Eastern Conference Final Results
Game 1: Panthers 5, Hurricanes 2
Game 2: Panthers 5, Hurricanes 0
Game 3: Panthers 6, Hurricanes 2
Game 4: Hurricanes 3, Panthers 0
Game 5: Panthers 5, Hurricanes 3
