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Globe and Mail
12 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Globe and Mail
For Panthers, clinching a 3rd consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Final didn't lead to celebrating
Bill Zito didn't do any significant celebrating after the Florida Panthers clinched their third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final. He got some food and went back to work. At this point, no one around the team would expect anything different. The franchise that could not win a playoff series for a quarter-century now is in the midst of a back-to-back-to-back run to the NHL's championship round. Florida won 25 playoff games in its first 28 seasons combined; the Panthers have won 41 playoff games – and counting – in their most recent three seasons. The novelty of winning at this time of year hasn't worn off, but the Panthers have simply become used to it now. The main thing – the Cup – is the main thing. That's why after the most recent win, beating Carolina on Wednesday night to finish off the Eastern Conference title in five games, there were no helmets being thrown in the air, no raucous beer-spraying locker room scene, no thick wafts of cigar smoke. A few handshakes, something to eat, and that was it. 'I think everybody likes it right when people are kind to you and say things that are nice,' Zito, the team's hockey operations president and general manager, said before the Panthers flew home from Carolina on Thursday. 'But we learned. The journey isn't over and there's work to do and we have to be focused on that and keep your eye on the goal. Don't let success get in your way.' To be fair, for the Panthers, this is unprecedented levels of success. They have now played 11 playoff series since the start of the 2023 postseason – their first one with Matthew Tkachuk in a Florida sweater. They have won 10 of those series, only falling in the 2023 final to Vegas. They're 41-21 in playoff games under coach Paul Maurice and actually have a better road record in those games (23-10) than they do at home (18-11). 'I didn't even think about it,' Tkachuk said after the Carolina series ended. 'Just reacted how I reacted. I mean, I think it was different a few years ago. I remember a few years ago it felt like such an accomplishment from where we were at one point. I know we talked about it last year. It's part of the journey. And same way with this year. It's all business, and we've got a bigger goal in mind.' When the East title series ended, Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour paid the Panthers – who won their first Cup last season – the ultimate compliment. 'They're the standard now,' Brind'Amour said. It has been a long time since the league has seen a run like this. Tampa Bay made three straight finals from 2020 through 2022 (with two of those seasons shortened by COVID), but no team – until now – has navigated three consecutive full regular seasons and gotten to the Stanley Cup Final in each of those years since Edmonton from 1983 through 1985. By the time this year's title series is over, the Panthers will have played more games in a three-year span than any team in NHL history. It's an accomplishment, for certain. Zito wasn't thinking about any of that after the Carolina series. There were travel plans to put together, reports to look at, somewhere between four and seven more games left in this season to think about. 'I don't think that the elation or the appreciation for the moment diminishes,' Zito said. 'I think perhaps the way it manifests itself, it's just channelled differently. … That level of respect and appreciation for where you are, in tandem with the hunger, you want to do it again. You want to do it again. What can we start doing now? Don't stop. Don't get content. And those guys, they woke up with 100 texts each from everyone telling them how great they are. Everyone did. And it's not over.'
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
NHL Stanley Cup 2025: Oilers' win over Stars sets up rematch against Panthers
This year, the Stanley Cup Final will look familiar, as the Edmonton Oilers face off against the Florida Panthers for the second straight year. The 2024 Final rematch will begin next week in what is likely to be another exciting series. Edmonton secured its 2025 Final appearance with a 6-3 win over the Dallas Stars on Thursday, icing a 4-1 series win and the Western Conference championship. The victory set up a rematch against Florida, which picked up its own 4-1 series win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday. Advertisement As the Oilers chase their first Stanley Cup since 1990, their final obstacle will once again be the Panthers, who defeated Edmonton in a thrilling series in 2024. Florida went up 3-0 in the series before Edmonton went on a run to force a Game 7; the Panthers staved off a historic collapse with a 2-1 victory over the Oilers to earn the franchise's first title. It's been more than 30 years since a Canadian team has won the Stanley Cup — and the Oilers, out for revenge, have extra motivation to break that drought. Edmonton will also open the series as a slight betting favorite over the Panthers. Hockey superstitions may also come into play here. After not touching the Clarence S. Campbell trophy last year and subsequently losing the Finals, Oilers captain Connor McDavid grabbed it right away this year — opening the hope that Edmonton's luck might change. Both teams have been on strong postseason runs heading into the rematch. Florida kicked off the playoffs with a 4-1 series win over the Tampa Bay Lightning, before dashing the Toronto Maple Leafs' postseason dreams with a 6-1 Game 7 victory. Advertisement As for Edmonton, the Oilers pulled through the first two rounds with a 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings with a 4-2 win and a 4-1 win over the Las Vegas Knights before dispatching the Stars. The Stanley Cup Final will begin on June 4, with Edmonton hosting the first two games.
CNN
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- CNN
Edmonton Oilers coast to Stanley Cup Final showdown against Florida Panthers for second consecutive year
For the second consecutive year, hockey fans will be treated to Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers defeated the Dallas Stars 6-3 on Thursday to win Game 5, and the Western Conference Final, to advance to the Cup. It was a quick start for Connor McDavid and company as Edmonton scored two goals on their first two shots of the game. With the Stars fans on hand at the American Airlines Center stunned, Dallas coach Pete DeBoer pulled goalie Jake Oettinger, who was replaced by Casey DeSmith. Oilers forward Jeff Skinner would tally the team's third goal minutes later. But as the Stars had showed throughout the playoffs, they had no quit. Jason Robertson stopped the bleeding and got Dallas on the board as they took a 3-1 deficit into the first intermission. After a Roope Hintz goal to bring the Stars back to just a one-goal game, it was McDavid that came through and flashed why he is the most dangerous player in the game. The 28-year-old, three-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner gathered a redirection from Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner and blazed down center ice to beat DeSmith to extend the lead. Despite Robertson scoring his second goal of the game, the Oilers proved to be too much, adding two more goals to down the Stars in the conference finals for the second straight year and coast to another Cup final against the Panthers. The Oilers celebrated in front of the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl, which McDavid went against all usual hockey norms and touched the trophy. The Oilers didn't touch the trophy last year before losing to the Panthers in seven games. McDavid said after the game he was proud of his team's will all series long. 'It was a long night. We hung in there,' McDavid told the ESPN broadcast. 'I thought we played well all five games. Honestly, everybody stepped up. Everybody made contributions. Fun group to be apart of for sure.' The Oilers will face a Panthers team that is coming off a dominant stretch in this year's playoffs, eliminating the Carolina Hurricanes in five games on Wednesday to secure their third consecutive trip to the Cup. The reigning champions Panthers defeated the Oilers in a hard fought seven-game series last year. McDavid called Florida a 'heck of a team.' 'Obviously, it's their third finals. They're a special group,' McDavid said. 'We're a special group. It's going to be fun. Couldn't ask for a better opportunity to go up against a team that beat us last year. Really excited about it.' The Panthers will look to be the NHL's first team to repeat as Cup champions since their in-state rival, the Tampa Bay Lightning, did so in 2020 and 2021. Edmonton are now four games away from not only winning the franchise's fifth Cup and first since 1990, but they can become the first Canadian team to lift it since the Montreal Canadiens did in 1993. Game 1 is at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday at Rogers Place in Edmonton.
CNN
an hour ago
- Business
- CNN
Edmonton Oilers coast to Stanley Cup Final showdown against Florida Panthers for second consecutive year
For the second consecutive year, hockey fans will be treated to Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers defeated the Dallas Stars 6-3 on Thursday to win Game 5, and the Western Conference Final, to advance to the Cup. It was a quick start for Connor McDavid and company as Edmonton scored two goals on their first two shots of the game. With the Stars fans on hand at the American Airlines Center stunned, Dallas coach Pete DeBoer pulled goalie Jake Oettinger, who was replaced by Casey DeSmith. Oilers forward Jeff Skinner would tally the team's third goal minutes later. But as the Stars had showed throughout the playoffs, they had no quit. Jason Robertson stopped the bleeding and got Dallas on the board as they took a 3-1 deficit into the first intermission. After a Roope Hintz goal to bring the Stars back to just a one-goal game, it was McDavid that came through and flashed why he is the most dangerous player in the game. The 28-year-old, three-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner gathered a redirection from Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner and blazed down center ice to beat DeSmith to extend the lead. Despite Robertson scoring his second goal of the game, the Oilers proved to be too much, adding two more goals to down the Stars in the conference finals for the second straight year and coast to another Cup final against the Panthers. The Oilers celebrated in front of the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl, which McDavid went against all usual hockey norms and touched the trophy. The Oilers didn't touch the trophy last year before losing to the Panthers in seven games. McDavid said after the game he was proud of his team's will all series long. 'It was a long night. We hung in there,' McDavid told the ESPN broadcast. 'I thought we played well all five games. Honestly, everybody stepped up. Everybody made contributions. Fun group to be apart of for sure.' The Oilers will face a Panthers team that is coming off a dominant stretch in this year's playoffs, eliminating the Carolina Hurricanes in five games on Wednesday to secure their third consecutive trip to the Cup. The reigning champions Panthers defeated the Oilers in a hard fought seven-game series last year. McDavid called Florida a 'heck of a team.' 'Obviously, it's their third finals. They're a special group,' McDavid said. 'We're a special group. It's going to be fun. Couldn't ask for a better opportunity to go up against a team that beat us last year. Really excited about it.' The Panthers will look to be the NHL's first team to repeat as Cup champions since their in-state rival, the Tampa Bay Lightning, did so in 2020 and 2021. Edmonton are now four games away from not only winning the franchise's fifth Cup and first since 1990, but they can become the first Canadian team to lift it since the Montreal Canadiens did in 1993. Game 1 is at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday at Rogers Place in Edmonton.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
For Panthers, wrapping up 3rd consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Final didn't lead to celebrating
SUNRISE, Fla. — Bill Zito didn't do any significant celebrating after the Florida Panthers wrapped up their third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final. He got some food and went back to work. At this point, no one around the team would expect anything different. The franchise that could not win a playoff series for a quarter-century now is in the midst of a back-to-back-to-back run to the NHL's championship round. Florida won 25 playoff games in its first 28 seasons combined; the Panthers have won 41 playoff games — and counting — in their most recent three seasons. The novelty of winning at this time of year hasn't worn off, but the Panthers have simply become used to it now. The main thing — the Cup — is the main thing. That's why after the most recent win, beating Carolina on Wednesday night to finish off the Eastern Conference title in five games, there were no helmets being thrown in the air, no raucous beer-spraying locker room scene, no thick wafts of cigar smoke. A few handshakes, something to eat, and that was it. He looked at potential travel scenarios to Edmonton, where Games 1 and 2 of the Stanley Cup Final — a title-series rematch from last year — will be played next week. 'I think everybody likes it right when people are kind to you and say things that are nice," Zito, the team's hockey operations president and general manager, said before the Panthers flew home from Carolina on Thursday. "But we learned. The journey isn't over and there's work to do and we have to be focused on that and keep your eye on the goal. Don't let success get in your way.' To be fair, for the Panthers, this is unprecedented levels of success. They have now played 11 playoff series since the start of the 2023 postseason — their first one with Matthew Tkachuk in a Florida sweater. They have won 10 of those series, only falling in the 2023 final to Vegas. They're 41-21 in playoff games under coach Paul Maurice and actually have a better road record in those games than they do at home . 'I didn't even think about it," Tkachuk said after the Carolina series ended. "Just reacted how I reacted. I mean, I think it was different a few years ago. I remember a few years ago it felt like such an accomplishment from where we were at one point. I know we talked about it last year. It's part of the journey. And same way with this year. It's all business, and we've got a bigger goal in mind.' So, of course, do the Oilers. And both teams surely expect the rematch to be a classic. 'They're a heck of a team,' Edmonton star Connor McDavid said in the on-ice televised ESPN interview Thursday night when asked about the Panthers. 'Obviously, it's their third finals. They're a special group. We're a special group. It's going to be fun. Couldn't ask for a better opportunity than to go up against the team that beat us last year. Really excited about it.' The mind-games are already underway. Florida touched the Prince of Wales Trophy after winning the East in 2023 and lost the final; the Panthers didn't touch the conference trophy in 2024 and won the Cup, and didn't touch it on Wednesday either to preserve that tradition. In turn, the Oilers didn't touch the West trophy last year — but McDavid grabbed it this year, trying to change up the Cup luck. When the East title series ended, Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour paid the Panthers — who won their first Cup last season — the ultimate compliment. "They're the standard now," Brind'Amour said. It has been a long time since the league has seen a run like this. It's an accomplishment, for certain. Zito wasn't thinking about any of that after the Carolina series. There were travel plans to put together, reports to look at, somewhere between four and seven more games left in this season to think about. 'I don't think that the elation or the appreciation for the moment diminishes," Zito said. "I think perhaps the way it manifests itself, it's just channeled differently. ... That level of respect and appreciation for where you are, in tandem with the hunger, you want to do it again. You want to do it again. What can we start doing now? Don't stop. Don't get content. And those guys, they woke up with 100 texts each from everyone telling them how great they are. Everyone did. And it's not over.' NHL playoffs: /hub/stanley-cup and /hub/nhl
