The Florida Panthers are heading back to the Stanley Cup Final for the third consecutive season, achieving this feat on Wednesday night after a challenging matchup. They successfully navigated an early deficit in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final to overcome the Carolina Hurricanes with a 5-3 victory.
Backed by their home crowd, the Hurricanes had a strong start. Sebastian Aho scored two goals in the first period, giving Carolina a 2-0 lead at the first intermission.
However, the Panthers significantly altered the game`s momentum thereafter. Just over seven minutes into the second period, Matthew Tkachuk provided a crucial spark for Florida by tipping in a power-play goal to get his team on the scoreboard.
Tkachuk`s goal initiated a rapid scoring sequence for Florida, who tallied three goals in quick succession over 4 minutes and 26 seconds. The Panthers took the lead when Anton Lundell positioned himself in front of the net before Sebastian Aho and converted a well-placed pass.
Carolina demonstrated resilience in the third period. A determined forecheck resulted in Seth Jarvis executing a beautiful shot over the shoulder of Sergei Bobrovsky, tying the game at 3-3.
That tying goal injected energy back into the Hurricanes and the arena, but the momentum shift was brief.
Less than four minutes later, Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov delivered what would be the game-winning play. He displayed strength to battle Carolina defenseman Dmitry Orlov, then deked around Eric Robinson before feeding Carter Verhaeghe for a crucial backdoor goal.
Barkov also contributed an assist on Sam Bennett`s empty-net goal, capping off a multi-point night. He was one of four Panthers stars with multiple points in the game; Bennett, Sam Reinhart, and Matthew Tkachuk were the others.
This achievement makes the Panthers just the fourth team since 1980 to reach the Stanley Cup Final in three consecutive years. They join an elite group alongside the New York Islanders, Edmonton Oilers, and Tampa Bay Lightning.
Following the on-ice presentation, the Panthers players elected not to touch the Prince of Wales Trophy, adhering to a common hockey superstition. Their focus remains on the ultimate prize. They potentially face a rematch with the Edmonton Oilers in the Final, provided the Oilers can finalize their series against the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final.
Meanwhile, the Carolina Hurricanes` season concludes in the Eastern Conference Final for the second time in the last three years. Their recent record in conference final appearances now stands at 1-16.
