The Florida Panthers were under immense pressure heading into Game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals against the Edmonton Oilers. After getting off to a 3-0 series lead, they were crushed in three straight games.
Their normally stout defense sprang a few leaks in Games 4-6. After allowing only four goals in the first three games of the series, the Florida Panthers saw just how good the Oilers’ offense can be.
Edmonton scored 18 goals in three games, registering 5+ in all three. But, with the series on the line in a do-or-die Game 7, the dominant Florida Panthers defense came back to life. They won Game 7 2-1, never trailing.
A goal from Carter Verhaege 4:27 into the game sent the home fans into a frenzy. But, their excitement didn’t last for long, as Mattias Janmark scored the equalizer just 2:17 later, quieting the crowd.
In the second period, it looked as if the Oilers were going to take the lead. A loose puck ended up in front of the Florida Panthers’ net, where Dmitry Kulikov was able to swipe it away after he got behind Sergi Bobrovsky.
That started a breakout for the Panthers, which resulted in Sam Reinhart burying the puck behind Stuart Skinner for what ended up being the game-winning and Stanley Cup-clinching goal.
Reinhart’s goal helped the Florida Panthers avoid disaster. The 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs are still the only team in NHL history to come back from a 3-0 series deficit, a distinction the Panthers are thrilled to not hold.
After three games in which he struggled, Bobrovsky showed up big time when Florida needed him most. He was the second player to touch the cup after the win, as Aleksander Barkov spoke highly of the team’s goaltender.
“He deserves it. He’s been here for a long time and has been our best player for a long time,” Barkov said of Bobrovsky. “He played incredible.”
With the victory, coach Paul Maurice ended what was a lengthy drought without a Stanley Cup. He has coached for 26 seasons in the NHL and lost in his first two appearances; 2002 with the Carolina Hurricanes and last season with the Florida Panthers.
“I’ve been chasing that for a long time,” Maurice said after handing off the Stanley Cup to his coaching staff. “It’s got nothing to do with the coach; this group has been special since day one.”
Maurice is now 5-0 in Game 7s in his coaching career in the playoffs. It was a fitting ending for the Florida Panthers, who have had more postseason success under him than during the rest of their franchise existence combined.
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