SUNRISE, FL. – The Florida Panthers are returning their talents back to the Stanley Cup Final.
Getting back to the Stanley Cup Final for the second consecutive season, the Panthers eliminated the New York Rangers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final behind a 23-save performance from Sergei Bobrovsky in a 2-1 win at Amerant Bank Arena on Saturday.
“When the pressure was the greatest, we played our best hockey,” Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said.
Florida improved to 8-0 when scoring first in potential-series clinching games.
Achieving a rare feat of determination, the Panthers are the first team to return to the Stanley Cup Final after losing the year before since the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009.
The Panthers are the sixth different franchise in the past 30 years to advance to the Stanley Cup Final in consecutive seasons.
“We expected to be back here,” Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk said. Obviously nothing is guaranteed, but we expected this.”
The Prince of Wales Trophy was carried onto the ice when time expired, as an arena filled with Florida Panthers fans roared in delight and dozens of players and staffers rushed over to pose with the prize. The trophy went untouched.
Artemi Panarin scored with 1:40 left and Igor Shesterkin stopped 32 shots for the Rangers, who had a 2-1 lead in the series — then lost three straight, costing them their season. It was New York’s longest losing streak since mid-January and means that, for the 11th consecutive year, the team that finishes with the NHL’s best regular season record won’t go on to win the Stanley Cup.
Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 23 shots, Sam Bennett and Vladimir Tarasenko scored for the Panthers.
The Panthers went 14-for-15 on the penalty kill in the Eastern Conference Final.
The Panthers are the third team in NHL history to eliminate the Presidents’ Trophy winner in consecutive postseasons.
The Panthers now wait to find out who their opponent will be in the Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars.
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