The Florida Panthers cemented their status as a modern NHL dynasty by winning their second consecutive Stanley Cup, defeating the Edmonton Oilers 5-1 in Game 6 of the Final at Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday night.
With the victory, Florida capped off an electrifying postseason run, led by playoff MVP Sam Bennett and stellar goaltending from Sergei Bobrovsky, Idman.biz reports.
Entering the playoffs as the No. 3 seed in the Atlantic Division, the Panthers took a grueling path to the Cup but showcased their championship pedigree every step of the way.
First round: Lightning struck down in five
Florida opened its title defense against in-state rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Panthers struck quickly in Game 1 with a 6-2 win, riding the return of Matthew Tkachuk and two goals from Nate Schmidt. They followed up with a shutout win in Game 2, powered by Bobrovsky’s sharp goaltending.
Despite a Game 3 stumble at home, Florida rallied behind late goals in Game 4 to take control of the series. In Game 5, Luostarinen's four-point night propelled the Panthers to a 6-3 win and a ticket to Round 2.
Second round: Surviving the Maple Leafs in seven
The second round against Toronto proved Florida's toughest test. After dropping the first two games on the road, the Panthers stormed back to tie the series, including a dramatic overtime win in Game 3.
Game 5 saw a dominant 6-1 road win with contributions from up and down the lineup, but Toronto forced Game 7 after shutting out Florida in Game 6. In the decisive game, the Panthers exploded for six goals, led by Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen, advancing to the Eastern Conference Final for the third straight season.
Eastern Conference Final: Hurricanes swept aside
The Panthers made quick work of the Carolina Hurricanes, winning the series in five games. After back-to-back blowouts in Raleigh, Florida scored five third-period goals in Game 3 to take a commanding lead.
Though they failed to clinch at home in Game 4, the Panthers erased a 2-0 deficit in Game 5 and rode late goals from Carter Verhaeghe and Bennett to advance to their third consecutive Stanley Cup Final.
Stanley Cup Final: A battle for the ages
In a thrilling rematch of the 2024 Final, Florida and Edmonton went toe-to-toe once again. Edmonton stole Game 1 in overtime, but Florida responded in double OT in Game 2, with Brad Marchand netting the winner.
Game 3 saw Florida dominate 6-1 at home, but the Oilers came back in Game 4 with a stunning comeback win in overtime. The Panthers regrouped in Game 5, with Marchand and Bennett leading a 5-2 victory on the road.
In front of a roaring home crowd in Game 6, Florida left no doubt. Sam Reinhart opened the scoring early and added a natural hat trick to seal the win, while Bobrovsky turned away 27 shots. Tkachuk also found the net, and Bennett earned the Conn Smythe Trophy after finishing with a league-best 15 playoff goals.
A Dynasty in the making
With this win, Florida becomes just the second team in the past 25 years to win consecutive Stanley Cups. Head coach Paul Maurice praised his team’s resilience:
"These guys never stop pushing. No matter the opponent, no matter the pressure, they rise to the moment. This is a special group."
From comeback thrillers to blowout victories, the 2025 Florida Panthers showed heart, depth, and championship mettle, and they may not be done yet.
Idman.biz
