The Florida Panthers have clinched their second Stanley Cup title in succession, defeating the Edmonton Oilers 5-1 in Game 6 of the finals on June 17, 2025. This win marks a historic achievement, making the Panthers the first team to win back-to-back titles since the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021, and the third team in this century to achieve this feat.
Sam Reinhart scored an impressive four goals during the match, becoming just the fourth player in NHL history to accomplish this in a finals game. His third goal triggered a flurry of rats and hats thrown onto the ice. Additionally, Matthew Tkachuk, who is a pivotal player for the franchise, scored the final goal to clinch the Cup.
“Good evening, South Florida,” said Commissioner Gary Bettman. “It feels like we just did this.”
Sergei Bobrovsky excelled in goal, stopping 28 of the 29 shots he faced. The only goal from the Oilers came from fellow Russian Vasily Podkolzin during a meaningless segment of the game.
Chants of “We want the Cup!” resonated throughout the arena, as the Panthers celebrated their triumph.
Reinhart remarked, “This is as good as the first one. We learned some lessons and stayed aggressive throughout, and the result shows it.”
With Tkachuk leading the team and many key players available and healthy this time around, the Panthers are starting to resemble a modern dynasty. Over the past two seasons, they have progressed to the finals on three occasions and won two championships, driven by their depth and playoff performance.
Bennett took home the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP, having led all goal scorers this postseason. Special contributions from players like Marchand solidified the Panthers’ victory, overpowering elite players like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl during the final series.
The Panthers’ success reveals their evolution under coach Paul Maurice, who has coached more games than any except Scotty Bowman, and has secured his second championship.
Brad Marchand expressed, “It’s incredible. It’s a feeling you can’t really describe; I’m so grateful for my family and the supporters who helped me reach this point.”
With this victory, the Panthers extend Canada’s Stanley Cup drought to 31 seasons, consistent with the recent trend of teams from the U.S. Sun Belt winning the championship.
