Florida (Panthers) Repeat As Stanley Cup Champions

The Florida Panthers [ (2-2) in NHL final rounds and (9-13) in such games, once (1-8)–have repeated as Stanley Cup Champions, having 6’d the Edmonton Oilers in this year’s final after winning in 7 games also vs “Edm” (once (5-1) in final rounds, they are (5-4), (28-22) in such games, once (20-10) and (20-6) after losing in 4 straight games to the New York Islanders in 1983).

Last season, Sam Reinhart had the Cup winning goal, a truly legitimate one, as it put Florida ahead to stay and was #7’s last tally, as the Panthers, once up (3-0) in the series, prevailed (2-1) in game 7, as was the case last night, in a Panthers’ home Cup clinching game.

“About” last night, Reinhart “R”ifled 4 goals, 2 of which were empty net–(he “opened” and made it (3-0) yet the quirk gave Matthew Tkachuk, another “ringer” on a Paul “The Magnificent” Maurice coached team of many such, credit for the Stanley Cup winning goal, the immortal Gord Howe once told me in an interview, he was so proud to achieve), in a (5-1) #6, title clinching win.

Sam Bennett who had 15 ‘offs goals and 4 in the final won the Conn Smythe Trophy, as the most valuable of the playoffs performer while Brad Marchand (he won #2 in O.T. and opened /made it plus 3 in the pivotal 5th game at Edmonton) and the brilliant netminder Sergei Bobrovsky, to name 2 were major contributors to the Florida crown.

A Florida team has made the NHL Final the last 6 seasons, winning 4, repeating twice, the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021 before losing to the ‘Lanche (Colorado) in ’22 while “Fla” after being 5’d by Las Vegas (another Sun Belt U.S. team, no title yet again for Canada, has now copped 2 straight crowns, each clinched at home.