RALEIGH, N.C. — For the third year in a row, the Florida Panthers are heading to the Stanley Cup Final — and they’re acting like they’ve been here before.
After closing out the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final with a 5-3 win Wednesday night, the Panthers kept their celebration low-key. A few quick jumps over the boards, a round of stick taps, and a quiet huddle around goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. No over-the-top celebration, just business as usual.
“A few years ago, this would’ve felt like the pinnacle,” said forward Matthew Tkachuk. “Now? It’s just another step toward the ultimate goal.”
Florida overcame an early 2-0 deficit and punched its ticket to the Final for the second time in two seasons — once again at Carolina’s expense. The Panthers await the winner of the Western Conference series, where the Edmonton Oilers currently lead the Dallas Stars 3-1, setting up the possibility of a Stanley Cup rematch.
Carter Verhaeghe scored the game-winning goal with 7:39 left in regulation, finishing off a brilliant setup from Aleksander Barkov, who battled through traffic and defenders along the boards to deliver the perfect pass.
“That play was all Barky,” Verhaeghe said. “He went through two guys and just put it right on my stick.”
Sam Bennett sealed the win with an empty-net goal in the final minute — seconds after stepping out of the penalty box. That dagger came just after Florida killed off a crucial late power play.
The night didn’t start well for Florida. The Hurricanes pounced on two defensive miscues in the first period, both finished off by Sebastian Aho, to take a 2-0 lead. But the Panthers roared back in the second with three goals — from Tkachuk, Evan Rodrigues, and Anton Lundell — two of them coming within a 30-second span.
Carolina tied it at 3 midway through the third when Seth Jarvis beat Bobrovsky, but it was Florida who found the final answer.
“This game had everything,” Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said. “We looked like a mess early on, but we found our way back. That’s the beauty of this sport.”
When the final horn sounded, Florida calmly accepted the Prince of Wales Trophy and posed for photos at center ice while some frustrated Hurricanes fans chanted “Let’s go, Oilers!” in the background.
For Carolina, the loss marked another bitter end to a deep playoff run. The Hurricanes have reached the Eastern Conference Final three times since 2019 — and come up short each time. This year, they finally avoided a sweep, snapping a 15-game conference final losing streak with a Game 4 win, but couldn’t extend the series any further.
“They’ve set the standard in the East,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said of Florida. “Our guys gave everything they had. It just wasn’t enough.”
Bobrovsky made 20 saves in the win, while Barkov’s leadership and playmaking stood out. Florida has now won five straight road games this postseason and eight total on the road — a testament to the team’s composure and resilience.
Florida is now just four wins away from its first Stanley Cup title. And judging by their reaction Wednesday night, the Panthers aren’t interested in celebrating until the job is done.
