Now one win from repeat, why Panthers feel better equipped this year to close out Cup Final

Miami Herald

8 hours ago

Sam Bennett said it was tough to sleep last year. When the Florida Panthers got within one win of their first Stanley Cup, the moment got big. Really big.
'It's extremely tough,' Bennett said. 'It's a moment you think about your whole life and it's in the back of your head.'
It almost slipped away. Florida had a 3-0 series lead against the Edmonton Oilers, but the series ended up going the full seven games as Edmonton scratched away its deficit and Florida struggled to close things out. The Panthers ultimately achieved their goal, winning the decisive seventh game on home ice to unleash the euphoria of achieving that childhood dream.
The Panthers are back in that familiar position once again.
Following their 5-2 win Saturday in Game 5 of their Stanley Cup Final rematch against the Oilers, the Panthers have a 3-2 series lead over Edmonton. Florida can clinch its second consecutive title as early as Tuesday, when it plays Game 6 on home ice at Amerant Bank Arena (8 p.m., TNT, truTV, Max).
This has always been the goal, always been the destination.
And after going through all the emotions of trying to win it all last year, the Panthers feel like they are in a better place this time around when it comes to closing out the playoffs.
'We're hopeful,' Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. 'Certainly the context changes when you get this close. ... We were all pretty wired after Game 3 last year, and I think we can handle it better now.'
Added Bennett: 'This year we have a little more experience as a team, more composure. I'm sure it's still going to be in the back of our minds, but I think we're going to be a little bit better at staying composed and just worrying about getting the job done first.'
They got the job done on Saturday.
The Panthers jumped out to a two-goal lead in the first period and the defense shut down a high-flying Oilers offense, limiting Edmonton to a series-low 21 shots on goal. The Oilers scored twice in the third period, but the Panthers were up by three goals each time when Edmonton found the back of the net.
Brad Marchand scored twice on a pair of highlight-reel goals. Bennett added to his league lead with his 15th goal. Sam Reinhart and Eetu Luostarinen rounded out scoring.
'We were close to our identity,' Maurice said. 'It's a hard thing to establish. It's a hard thing to get to. It's solely based on the will of the players to play a game, and then we've had a little bit of success with it.'
That success — not just on this playoff run, but the playoff runs before it — has allowed to understand what it truly takes to win it all.
They are in the Stanley Cup Final for a third consecutive year, with a core of 10 players who have been along for the ride for all three trips and 15 who were with the team last year when it finally won it all.
'The more times you're in situations like this, the more comfortable you're going to be,' Reinhart said. 'It's just about handling your day. We did what we set out to do, and now it's about recovering and getting back out in a couple days.'
When that time comes, when the puck drops Tuesday for Florida's first chance to become just the third team this century to repeat as Stanley Cup champions (also Tampa Bay in 2020 and 2021, Pittsburgh in 2016 and 2017), they'll get focused by ... not focusing on it.
That nearly got the better of them just 12 short months ago. They don't want to let it happen again.
'I feel like last year we learned a lot,' center Anton Lundell said. 'I think the biggest thing is to stay in the moment, not think too much ahead or think behind. So stay in the moment, rest, and prepare for a new game because we know it's the hardest one.'
But the Panthers also know they're built for this. They spent all season preparing for this exact situation, to be in position to win it all again, to keep this rising dynasty churning.
They're one win away from making that happen.
'It's going to be a good hockey game,' goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky said. 'We have to play our best. They're going to bring their best as well.'