SUNRISE, FL — In a dramatic conclusion to the Stanley Cup Final, the Florida Panthers edged out the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 in Game 7 on Monday night, clinching the first NHL championship in franchise history and averting a historic collapse.
After jumping to a commanding 3-0 series lead, the Panthers appeared poised to secure their inaugural title. However, their momentum faltered, with Edmonton outscoring Florida 18-5 over the next three games, setting up a tense finale at Amerant Bank Arena.
The Panthers, playing before an electrified home crowd, struck first. Carter Verhaeghe redirected an Evan Rodrigues shot just after a power play expired, netting the opening goal four-and-a-half minutes into the first period. This marked Verhaeghe’s 11th goal of the playoffs, tying a franchise record for most goals in a single postseason.
Edmonton quickly responded as Mattias Janmark scored on a breakaway just over two minutes later, leveling the game at 1-1.
The Oilers nearly seized the lead in the second period when Warren Foegele’s shot slipped past Panthers’ goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. However, defenseman Dmitry Kulikov made a crucial blind save, clearing the puck mere inches from the goal line. This defensive heroics set the stage for Sam Reinhart, who raced down the ice and fired a wrister from the right circle past Oilers’ netminder Stuart Skinner, restoring Florida’s lead at the 15:11 mark.
Reinhart’s goal was particularly poignant, as he had not scored during the Panthers’ three-game losing streak despite leading the team with 57 goals in the regular season.
In a tense third period, Edmonton pressed for the equalizer but failed to convert several opportunities. Bobrovsky was instrumental in preserving the lead, finishing the game with 23 saves.
The victory marked a historic achievement for the Panthers, who had previously lost in the Stanley Cup Final three times, including last year. Florida joins an elite group, becoming just the third team in 40 years to win the Stanley Cup after losing in the final the previous year.
“It’s not a dream anymore. It’s not a dream, it’s reality. I can’t believe it, I can’t believe it,” said Panthers’ star Matthew Tkachuk. “I can believe how good these two years have been. I’m so thankful for this group of guys…something really special here with what we have.”
Despite the loss, Edmonton’s Connor McDavid was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy for his exceptional playoff performance, tallying 42 points (eight goals and 34 assists) in 25 games. McDavid broke Wayne Gretzky’s record for most assists in a playoff year and became the third player in NHL history to surpass 40 points in a single postseason.
The Oilers aimed to become only the second team to overcome a 0-3 deficit in the Stanley Cup Final, a feat accomplished only once before by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1942 against the Detroit Red Wings. However, with the defeat, the three-decade Stanley Cup drought for Canadian teams continues. The last Canadian team to hoist the Cup was the Montreal Canadiens in 1993.
As the Panthers celebrate their historic victory, the Oilers and their fans are left to ponder what might have been, even as McDavid’s individual brilliance shines through the disappointment.
