Panthers return to Stanley Cup Final for second consecutive season

SUNRISE —  The Florida Panthers are getting their chance for redemption as they punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final for a second consecutive season.

On Saturday night, the Panthers defeated the New York Rangers 2-1 in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final — keeping the Prince of Wales Trophy in Sunrise. 

The Panthers become the first team to get back to the Stanley Cup Final the season after losing since the 2009 Pittsburgh Penguins. 

“Not winning last year obviously pushed all the returning guys to be even better at the start of training camp,” Matthew Tkachuk said. “We’re very proud to be here, we’re very happy, but the job’s not finished.”

This will be the third Cup Final appearance in Panthers history, with the previous two coming in 1996 and last season in 2023. They have never won the Stanley Cup in the franchise’s history.

Florida’s Cup Final opponent will be the winner of the Dallas Stars — Edmonton Oilers series. Edmonton currently leads 3-2.

If the Oilers were to win their series, Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final will be in Sunrise on June 8. If the Stars win, Game 1 will be in Dallas on the same day.

Sam Bennett has played a big role for the Panthers this series and he was responsible for the first goal of the game.

With 50 seconds remaining in the first, Bennett one-timed a feed from Evan Rodrigues, top shelf for his sixth goal of the playoffs — putting the Panthers up 1-0 just before the intermission.

After a scoreless second frame, the Panthers were 20 minutes away from ending the series and clinching a berth to the Stanley Cup Final.

Florida’s third line of Anton Lundell, Vladimir Tarasenko and Eetu Luostarinen were responsible  for a huge go ahead goal in Game 5 on Thursday.

They did it again tonight.

Tarasenko gave Florida a 2-0 lead with 10:52 left in the third after burying a backdoor feed from Anton Lundell.

“He works really hard,” Sergei Bobrovsky said of his countryman and teammate. “Definitely happy for him (to score).”

Like they did in Game 5, New York didn’t go away down two.

With 1:39 left in regulation, Artemi Panarin scored his first goal of the series — cutting Florida’s lead in half.

Unfortunately for the Rangers, the late surge wouldn’t be enough as the Panthers held on for a 2-1 victory to win the Eastern Conference Final.

Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky saved 23 of the 24 shots he faced — winning his 12th game of the postseason. Bobrovsky has given up two or fewer goals in 13 of his 17 starts in this playoff.

“It’s remarkable. He’s been an absolute stud all year and especially in the biggest games,” Sam Bennett said of Bobrovsky’s play. “That seems to be when he’s playing his best hockey, which is incredible.”