The Florida Panthers, powered by Sam Reinhart’s four-goal effort, have captured their second consecutive Stanley Cup, defeating the Edmonton Oilers 5-1 to win the NHL finals.
Florida goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 28 shots on Tuesday while Matthew Tkachuk added a goal for the Panthers, who took the best-of-seven series 4-2.
“It’s incredible,” Florida’s Brad Marchand said. “It’s a feeling you can’t really describe. … Words can’t put this into reality how great it feels. Such an incredible group.”
After claiming their first crown last year, the Panthers became the first NHL club since Tampa Bay in 2020-2021 to win back-to-back titles.
Florida beat Edmonton in seven games in last year’s Stanley Cup Finals after squandering a 3-0 series lead, but this time, they dominated the last two games to hoist the trophy again.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” Bobrovsky said. “They are amazing, the group. I’m so privileged to be their goalkeeper. It’s a dream come true, and to win that trophy twice, it’s amazing.”
Not since Montreal beat Boston in 1977 and 1978 had a team defeated the same foe in the finals two years in a row.
The Oilers, seeking their sixth crown overall, have not won the Cup since 1990.
No Canadian team has won the Stanley Cup since Montreal in 1993.
Florida became only the eighth NHL team to clinch the cup on home ice in back-to-back seasons, the first since the Oilers in 1987 and 1988.