Panthers rout Oilers to capture second NHL Stanley Cup in a row
Florida goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 28 shots while Matthew Tkachuk added a goal for the Panthers, who took the best-of-seven series 4-2.
'It's incredible,' Florida's Brad Marchand said. 'It's a feeling you can't really describe… words can't put this into reality how great it feels. Such an incredible group.'
After claiming their first crown last year, the Panthers become the first NHL club since Tampa Bay in 2020-21 to win back-to-back titles.
Florida beat Edmonton in seven games in last year's Stanley Cup final after squandering a 3-0 series lead, but this time dominated the last two games to hoist the trophy again.
'It's an amazing feeling,' Bobrovsky said. 'They are amazing, the group. I'm so privileged to be their goalie. It's a dream come true and to win that trophy twice, it's amazing.'
Advertisement
Not since Montreal beat Boston in 1977 and 1978 had a team defeated the same foe in the final two years in a row.
The Panthers, who also lost to Vegas in the 2023 final, obtained Tkachuk in a 2022 trade with Calgary and haven't missed the final since.
'We're a dynasty,' Tkachuk said. 'And I can't believe this is what has happened… It just shows how unbelievable the group is, the depth.'
Reinhart became only the fourth player to score seven goals in an NHL Final after Jean Beliveau in 1956, Mike Bossy in 1982 and Wayne Gretzky in 1985.
'It's not easy coming back again,' Reinhart said. 'You know how hard it is to do. Sometimes that benefits you and sometimes it doesn't.
'We just stuck with it. A lot has to go your way to be standing here at the end. We were up to task again.'
The Oilers, seeking their sixth crown overall, have not won the Cup since 1990.
No Canadian team has won the Stanley Cup since Montreal in 1993.
Marchand, obtained in a trade from Boston where he won a Cup in 2011, scored six goals in the Stanley Cup Final.
'We just had that fire,' Marchand said. 'We knew we had something special.'
Florida became only the eighth NHL team to clinch the Cup on home ice in back-to-back seasons, the first since the Oilers in 1987 and 1988.
Reinhart runs wild
Just 4:36 into the game, Reinhart stole the puck from Edmonton's Evan Bouchard at the blue line, evaded defender Mattias Ekholm and beat Edmonton goalie Stuart Skinner one-on-one to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead.
It was the 29-year-old Canadian right wing's league-leading 15th goal of the playoffs, coming a day after Reinhart was named to Canada's 2026 Winter Olympic team.
Tkachuk, named to the 2026 US Olympic squad, made it 2-0 for the Panthers just 47 seconds before the end of the first period.
Reinhart made it 3-0 with 2:29 remaining in the second period, deflecting in an Aleksander Barkov shot.
The Oilers pulled Skinner in favor of an extra attacker in desperation and Reinhart made them pay by scoring two goals into the empty net.
Vasily Podkolzin scored for Edmonton with 4:42 remaining to avert a shutout.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Daily Mirror
8 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Teenage FAI Cup hero wanted world-wide says manager after match-winning display
Sligo Rovers' in-demand Cup hero Owen Elding has generated transfer interest from "all over the world", says Sligo boss John Russell. Juventus, Norwich and Ferencváros are among the clubs that have been linked with a move for the 19-year-old, whose 53 minute goal at Dalymount Park put Rovers into the Sports Direct FAI Cup quarter-finals. Russell believes that Elding, who is expected to remain at the Showgrounds until the end of the season, added to his price tag with his match-winning display. "I think so, yeah, he just keeps getting better and better and he's a real leader," said the Bit O'Red supremo. "This was a tough draw for us, we had a tough one in the last round away to Dundalk - we've come up here to a team that's second in the League and I think we've dominated the game. "Owen led the line, he was incredible, he was unplayable at times and we all know there's huge interest in him and we'll just enjoy him while he's here. Sligo manager John Russell applauds the Rovers fans after the game (Image: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne) "There is huge interest in him from all over the world. That is no surprise given the talent he is and the numbers and stats he's produced. We're hopeful that we will have him for the remainder of the season. We'll enjoy him while he is here. "He is a kid who has come up through the academy. He loves playing for Sligo Rovers. He wants to help try to get us out of the position we are in in the league. "We also want to have a good cup run and Friday night was important. that we got to the next round." Russell describes Elding, who has scored eight times in the league for a side that is battling to stay up, as a "real leader" in the Rovers dressing-room, despite his age. "He's an outstanding talent," said the manager. "Week-in, week-out he produces the goods. His movement on Friday night was top drawer. It was elite. "Every time he won the ball in transitions, the way he pulled off the shoulder - the Bohs defenders could not deal with him when that sort of ball came to him. "He's coming short, he's running in behind. His touch is so clean. He showed why he's the best young talent in the country on Friday night." Sligo Rovers' Sam Sargeant (Image: ©INPHO/Evan Logan) Russell also paid tribute to Rovers keeper Sam Sargeant, who saved a penalty early in the second half and followed that up with a magnificent reaction tip-over from a deflected cross. Sargeant, who signed a new contract recently, admitted that he needed to improve at the start of the year when he was dropped from the side. "For me, Sam is the best," Russell said. "He has shown over the last couple of weeks he is the best keeper in the league. Not only does he make big saves but his distribution is unbelievable, whether it's short or long. And he has really grown over the last couple of weeks. "I'm just excited that he has committed his future to the club and in cup games you need your big player to stand up, big moments. When we gave away the penalty it was really disappointing, but what a save. An incredible performance he pulled off some incredible saves within the game to keep a clean sheet. "You are trying to build a core group going into the following season and trying to keep your best players and Sam has shown that. We have a big nine games to go in the league and we are into the next round of the cup."
The Irish Sun
10 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
‘It means everything' – Duffy out to avenge FAI Cup heartbreak and recapture ‘one of the best days I've had' with Derry
DROG DAYS 'It means everything' – Duffy out to avenge FAI Cup heartbreak and recapture 'one of the best days I've had' with Derry MICHAEL DUFFY insists last year's FAI Cup final heartache will help to spur Derry City on to a third-round victory tonight. And Candystripes boss Tiernan Lynch wants Duffy and his team-mates to let the new signings know why they cannot let it happen again. 2 Michael Duffy wants to avenge Derry's FAI Cup final loss to Drogheda Credit: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile 2 Drogheda Utd beat Derry City in last year's FAI Cup final Credit: Seb Daly/Sportsfile City welcome Drogheda United to the Brandywell for this repeat of last year's final, which the Drogs won 2-0. The defeat was a new low for Derry, who were three wins away from a league and cup double at the end of last season. But the Brandywell side blew their big chance, losing all three matches. Duffy, who won the Cup with Derry in 2022, admits that losing last year's decider with his hometown club was a massive disappointment. He said: 'It means everything to me, that's the reason I came back to the club. I want to be successful, I want to win things here. 'That first year when we won the cup was one of the best days I've had in football. Last year hurt so much, I want to put it right and get back there this year. 'You just need to look at the turnout. In the last few years, 20,000-plus have travelled down to Dublin. 'It was disappointing last year, but three years ago it was an unbelievable day, and that's our motivation.' Boss Lynch — who took over in the close season — hopes his side's veterans will let the new boys know exactly how important the cup is to Derry City supporters. Lynch said: 'For the people involved . . . Mark Connolly, Mickey Duffy, Ronan Boyce, Sadou Diallo and Brian Maher, they're all the ones that have to bring the spice to it, let their team-mates understand the hurt they have from last year, losing in the final.' The home side's recent form has been nothing short of erratic. League of Ireland mascots compete in charity race in Naas A four-game winning run was followed by a slump which yielded only one victory from their last five outings. And the fans showed their frustration with the side and Lynch's new signings during last week's scoreless draw at home to Cork City. The Derry gaffer said: 'We understand, we take that squarely on the chin. 'We've worked all week to improve. 'There are no hard feelings on our part. 'These are the games you want to be involved in. Drogheda are on a good run of form at the moment. 'It's probably going to be similar to Cork last Friday night. They'll be compact but it's up to us to try to carve those openings and see can we create those chances.' Duffy added: 'We've had a disappointing few weeks in the league. 'But it's good now to switch it up. 'And you're three games away from the Aviva again. It's a massive game for us.' ODDS: Derry City 4-6, Drogheda United 7-2, Draw 13-5. VERDICT: Drogheda
Irish Examiner
10 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Athletics new gene tests system in disarray ahead of world championships
Female Canadian athletes have been told that gene tests they recently underwent do not comply with World Athletics' requirements, leaving them scrambling to complete new tests before the September 1 deadline for the world championships. French athletes are also seeking meets and camps outside their country to complete the one-off tests after the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Sports ruled them illegal in France. Athletics Canada commissioned Dynacare to conduct SRY gene tests, which help to determine biological sex, at the recent national championships. However, an email sent this week to athletes and seen by Reuters said Dynacare "has advised us that the test kits they provided were not of the required standard". Athletics Canada CEO Mathieu Gentes told Reuters on Friday that the federation is "doing everything within its power in the interest of athletes to ensure that we meet World Athletics' September 1st deadline for completion of the test. "It's a rapidly evolving situation which we're dealing with in real time," Gentes said. "We are working on solutions to assist athletes in locations around the world." The problem with the tests, Dynacare said in a statement, was that they were provided with saliva samples "but identified that blood samples were required for testing – not saliva – and immediately recommended blood collection to meet the correct standards. "Athletics Canada agreed and ordered the correct blood samples. Dynacare has prioritized these blood samples, so athletes can be cleared to compete." The French Athletics Federation had planned to test athletes at the national championships but was told "such tests are prohibited under the French Bioethics Law enacted in 1994", the federation said in a statement to Reuters. "As a result, ultimately, no action was carried out. "The federation is confident in World Athletics' ability to quickly find a solution and to ensure that French athletes can take part in international competitions under the best possible conditions." World Athletics is working with the French federation to help athletes obtain tests at other meets or at their pre-worlds training camp outside France, said Jackie Brock-Doyle, director of special projects for the sport's governing body. Brock-Doyle also said World Athletics is working with federations from Poland, Belgium and Switzerland to help facilitate testing for athletes competing at the four remaining Diamond League meetings hosted by those countries. World Athletics approved the introduction of a test to determine if an athlete is biologically female at their council meeting in March. The federations "all knew in March that we were going to introduce the SRY test", Brock-Doyle told Reuters. "We were asked during the press conference, 'Would we be bringing it in for the world championships?' And we said at the time, 'Yes, that is our intention.'" When pressed for details about the test at the March press conference, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: "The process is very straightforward, frankly very clear and it's an important one. And we will look for a testing provider, we will work on the timelines." World Athletics then announced details of the SRY test on July 31. "It's really important in a sport that's permanently trying to attract more women that they enter a sport believing there is no biological glass ceiling," Coe said in a statement at the time. "The test to confirm biological sex is a very important step in ensuring this is the case." Brock-Doyle said World Athletics was not worried that female athletes would miss the September 13-21 worlds in Tokyo due to a failure to secure a test by the deadline. Brock-Doyle, who estimated that 40% to 50% of athletes have been tested, said those who have completed the test but are still awaiting the result past the deadline can compete in Japan. "Not every single result may come through, because some countries it may take two, three weeks," she added. An adverse result - and potentially that athlete's performance at the worlds - would be investigated afterwards. Brock-Doyle also disagreed with criticism that the genetic testing regulations were pushed through too quickly. "Would it have been better if we'd had a little bit more time? Maybe," she said. "But the reason we've chosen the world championships is that it's probably around 80-plus percent of all our elite (female) athletes there."
