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a day ago
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Hurricanes' Chatfield, Walker and Jarvis have no surgery plans for injuries after playoff run
Carolina Hurricanes' Sean Walker (26) controls the puck in front of Washington Capitals' Connor McMichael (24) during the first period of Game 4 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series in Raleigh, N.C., Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker) Washington Capitals' Connor McMichael (24) tries to chip the puck past Carolina Hurricanes' Jalen Chatfield (5) during the first period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Semi-final round playoff series in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker) Carolina Hurricanes' Seth Jarvis (24) reacts following the Hurricanes loss to the Florida Panthers following Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker) Carolina Hurricanes' Seth Jarvis (24) reacts following the Hurricanes loss to the Florida Panthers following Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker) Carolina Hurricanes' Sean Walker (26) controls the puck in front of Washington Capitals' Connor McMichael (24) during the first period of Game 4 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series in Raleigh, N.C., Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker) Washington Capitals' Connor McMichael (24) tries to chip the puck past Carolina Hurricanes' Jalen Chatfield (5) during the first period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Semi-final round playoff series in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker) Carolina Hurricanes' Seth Jarvis (24) reacts following the Hurricanes loss to the Florida Panthers following Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker) RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Carolina Hurricanes players Jalen Chatfield, Sean Walker and Seth Jarvis said Friday they don't plan to have surgery for injuries after the team's playoff run to the Eastern Conference final. Chatfield missed Carolina's last six games with what the defenseman described as a hip injury, while fellow blue-liner Walker was dealing with an aggravation of a shoulder injury. As for Jarvis, the team's leader in regular-season goals and postseason points, the forward said he plans to work on strengthening and rehabbing a lingering right-shoulder issue for the second straight offseason. Advertisement Carolina is the only NHL team with an active streak of winning at least one postseason series for seven straight years, with this year's five-game loss to the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers marking a third trip to the Eastern final in that span. Chatfield had missed the closeout game of the second-round series against Washington and then the entire Florida series. The team had never specified the nature of Chatfield's injury, which became a common question for coach Rod Brind'Amour, and he said he should be fine with extra rehab time. 'Just something in the hip,' Chatfield said during Friday's end-of-year player interviews. "It's hard when you get that, trying to skate through that. I just couldn't even get to that speed where I would even be capable of even helping the team on the ice. 'I was able to get back on the ice before the last game and hopefully it was going to be another game or two before I could return. I was super close, for sure.' Advertisement Chatfield typically held a second-pairing spot with Dmitry Orlov before his absence, and he scored Carolina's first postseason goal just 2:24 into the opener against New Jersey. Brind'Amour at one point called Chatfield 'day to day' in the most optimistic update during his absence. 'Making it as far as we did and being able to play against Florida, it was tough watching," Chatfield said. The impact of Chatfield's absence compounded when Walker missed the last three games of the Florida series, his last appearance coming in Game 2 after taking a jarring open-ice hit from A.J. Greer and eventually exiting early. At that point, Carolina was down two of its top six defensemen and playing rookies Alexander Nikishin and Scott Morrow with its season on the brink. Walker said he had suffered a minor shoulder injury late in the regular season that was improving through the postseason before the Greer hit 'set me back pretty significantly.' He said he was hoping to return if Carolina advanced to the Stanley Cup Final, but didn't need surgery. Advertisement Then there's Jarvis, who led Carolina with 10 assists and 16 points in 15 playoff games after tallying a team-best 32 goals in 73 regular-season games. Surgery had been a possibility last year, though he has focused on rehab and strengthening his shoulder. 'We loved where it was at the start of the season, in terms of the health of it and the strength and everything,' Jarvis said. 'Early on it kind of started to slip a little bit, and then kind of re-tore all the work we did on it and all the strength and everything we did. So just dealing with it again wasn't too bad, kind of the same thing as last year.' Jarvis described the injury as creating more of an issue of pain tolerance than inhibiting on-ice activity — 'I mean, the only difference would be I'd probably be able to throw a real nice spiral,' Jarvis said of surgery — while the protective brace he returned to during the season might prevent him from reaching up to catch a puck. He played all 15 of Carolina's postseason games, scoring the tying goal in the third period of Game 5 against Florida in what turned out to be the Hurricanes' last of the season. Advertisement 'This summer, we were dancing around the idea of what to do with it,' Jarvis said. 'The season's gone pretty late, I don't want to miss a lot of time. So I'm going to go with the same protocol as last summer of strengthen it, rehab it. Hopefully maybe wear the brace from the very beginning of the year, and then go from there.' ___ AP NHL playoffs: and
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a day ago
- Entertainment
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Marchand says he's going to savor this trip to Cup final, knowing the chance isn't guaranteed again
Florida Panthers' Brad Marchand (63) skates in front of Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) during the first period of Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker) Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand (63) drives against Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin (21) and goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) during the first Period in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Raleigh, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward) Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell (15) celebrates his goal with center Brad Marchand, top right, and left wing Jonah Gadjovich (12) while Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) and center Sebastian Aho (20) react during the second period in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Raleigh, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward) Florida Panthers' Brad Marchand (63) reacts after scoring a goal against Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov (52) during the third period in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Florida Panthers' Brad Marchand (63) reacts after scoring a goal against Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov (52) during the third period in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Florida Panthers' Brad Marchand (63) skates in front of Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) during the first period of Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker) Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand (63) drives against Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin (21) and goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) during the first Period in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Raleigh, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward) Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell (15) celebrates his goal with center Brad Marchand, top right, and left wing Jonah Gadjovich (12) while Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) and center Sebastian Aho (20) react during the second period in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Raleigh, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward) Florida Panthers' Brad Marchand (63) reacts after scoring a goal against Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov (52) during the third period in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Brad Marchand won the Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins when he was 23. He and the Bruins played for it again when he was 25 and 31. He wondered if he would ever return to the title round. At 37 — and with the Florida Panthers — he's gotten there. Advertisement And this time, Marchand is making sure he savors the chance. Over 1,274 games in his career, including playoffs, there are some memories that escape Marchand now. There are some moments that he acknowledges taking for granted, moments where he didn't use an extra second or two to appreciate being part of. That won't happen now, he insists, since Marchand knows he's much closer to the end of his career than the beginning. 'It's more like enjoying each day like, having fun when you come to the rink," Marchand said. "It can be stressful when you start overthinking things, start looking ahead or the pressure sometimes you put on yourself. This time around, I'm coming to the rink every day and just having fun and trying to live in the moment. You know, not taking anything too seriously.' Except the hockey, that is. Advertisement Marchand is incredibly serious about the task at hand — which resumes Wednesday night when Marchand and the Panthers open the Stanley Cup Final at Edmonton. It's a rematch of last season's Panthers-Oilers series, one that Florida won in seven games. It wasn't difficult to envision a rematch when that series ended. But there's probably nobody on the planet who would have thought the rematch would include the former Boston captain playing for Florida. 'This is special,' Marchand said. 'You don't get a lot of opportunities to be part of something like this.' The Panthers are 8-2 in the playoffs when Marchand gets a point, 4-3 when he doesn't. They're 9-1 when he logs at least 15 1/2 minutes of ice time in the playoffs, 3-4 when he doesn't. It's clear: At his age, he still impacts winning with his hands and his voice. 'Guys that are vocal and intense sometimes will get up and down your bench screaming at your bench, right? They just get so wired in the game and he never does that. It's always positive," Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. 'It's always, 'Stay in there, hang in there.' ... It's bordering on legendary status at this point. He's pumping their tires and he's just, every day, excited. It's his personality.' Advertisement There is a very clear silly side as well. Marchand made a trip to Dairy Queen on an off day with teammates essentially become a three-day story by saying he had one of their desserts between periods of a game against Carolina. (He didn't, the snack was honey, not a Blizzard.) He has been chirping teammates from the day he arrived in Florida. He embraces how teammates shoot the toy rats — a Panthers tradition that goes back to 1996 — at him after games, even calling it a family reunion once in a subtle nod to his 'rat' nickname. He keeps it light, until it's time not to. If there's a scrum on the ice, he'll be involved. If a teammate needs backup, he'll be there. A chance at the Cup might not come again, and Marchand — who came to Florida at the trade deadline in a stunner of a move — is vowing that this opportunity won't be wasted. 'I may never get back this late in playoffs ever again in my career," Marchand said. 'To be one of the last teams standing and being part of a great group of guys, these are memories that I want to remember and enjoy. I don't remember some of the series that I played and I know that there's moments that I missed out on or didn't really appreciate because I was worried about other things or stressing about other things. I'm not going to do that to myself this time around.' ___ AP NHL playoffs: and
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2 days ago
- Entertainment
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Oilers gladly touched West trophy ahead of Cup rematch. It was hands off for Panthers in the East
The Florida Panthers pose with the Prince of Wales trophy after defeating the Carolina Hurricanes to advance to the finals at the end of Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Raleigh, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward) Edmonton Oilers pose for photos after winning Game 5 of the Western Conference finals against the Dallas Stars in the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs, Thursday, May 29, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (C) and NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, right, pose with the Prince of Wales trophy at the end of Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Raleigh, N.C. They advance to the Stanley Cup finals. (AP Photo/Chris Seward) Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) is presented with the championship trophy after winning Game 5 of the Western Conference finals in the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs against the Dallas Stars, Thursday, May 29, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson) Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) is presented with the championship trophy after winning Game 5 of the Western Conference finals in the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs against the Dallas Stars, Thursday, May 29, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson) The Florida Panthers pose with the Prince of Wales trophy after defeating the Carolina Hurricanes to advance to the finals at the end of Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Raleigh, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward) Edmonton Oilers pose for photos after winning Game 5 of the Western Conference finals against the Dallas Stars in the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs, Thursday, May 29, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (C) and NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, right, pose with the Prince of Wales trophy at the end of Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Raleigh, N.C. They advance to the Stanley Cup finals. (AP Photo/Chris Seward) Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) is presented with the championship trophy after winning Game 5 of the Western Conference finals in the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs against the Dallas Stars, Thursday, May 29, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson) DALLAS (AP) — Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid wasn't keeping his hands off the Western Conference championship trophy this time. McDavid gladly touched the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl when accepting it after the Oilers' 6-3 win over the Dallas Stars in Game 5 on Thursday night that sent the Oilers to a Stanley Cup Final rematch against the Florida Panthers. Advertisement 'It's pretty obvious I think,' McDavid said about what was different from the end of last year's West final. 'Don't touch it last year, you don't win. Touch it this year, hopefully we win.' Most NHL teams avoid touching the conference championship trophy, with their goal instead to hoist the Stanley Cup. And Florida didn't touch the Prince of Wales Trophy after wrapping up the East final with a Game 5 win at Carolina on Wednesday night. The Panthers are going to their third Stanley Cup Final in a row. The Panthers touched the Prince of Wales Trophy after winning the East in 2023, and lost the final. They didn't last year and then won the Stanley Cup in a seven-game series over McDavid and the Oilers. Advertisement Edmonton hasn't won a Stanley Cup since all five of the Oilers' titles came during a seven-season span from 1984-90. They also made it back to the Cup Final in 2006. ___ AP NHL playoffs: and
The Province
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Province
'Let's go, Oilers,' some defiant fans chant as Panthers head back to the Stanley Cup Final
The Panthers closed out the Carolina Hurricanes in five games Wednesday night with a 5-3 victory in the Eastern Conference final Published May 29, 2025 • Last updated 6 hours ago • 3 minute read Florida Panthers' Aleksander Barkov (16) skates over to accept the Prince of Wales Trophy following Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals against the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, May 28, 2025. Photo by Karl B DeBlaker / AP The horn sounded to signal a third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final, and the Florida Panthers celebrated merely by hopping over the boards and several heading over to congratulate goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors It was a subdued celebration seemingly more befitting a regular-season win for the regining Cup champs. Florida Panthers sign Canadian singer Michael Buble 'I remember a few years ago, it felt like such an accomplishment from where we were at one point,' forward Matthew Tkachuk said, adding: 'It's all business and we've got a bigger goal in mind.' The Panthers closed out the Carolina Hurricanes in five games Wednesday night with a 5-3 victory in the Eastern Conference final, pushing ahead for good when Carter Verhaeghe broke a tie off a feed from Aleksander Barkov with 7:39 left. Florida beat the Hurricanes in the Eastern final for the second time in three seasons. The Panthers will face the winner of the Western final between Dallas and Edmonton, with the Oilers up 3-1 in that best-of-seven series to put them within a win of a rematch with Florida for the Cup. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Sergei Bobrovsky #72 of the Florida Panthers greets Frederik Andersen #31 of the Carolina Hurricanes following Game Five of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center on May 28, 2025 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Photo by Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images Sam Bennett added an empty-net goal with 54 seconds left by skating down a loose puck straight out of the penalty box after Florida had held up against a critical late power play for the Hurricanes. That capped a wild night that saw the Hurricanes jump to a 2-0 lead by capitalizing on giveaways, and Florida answer with three second-period goals, only to see Carolina's Seth Jarvis beat Bobrovsky midway through the third to tie it at 3. 'That was all the elements that make our sport great,' Florida coach Paul Maurice said. 'They're all over us. And we're serving up pizzas and we don't look like we should've made the playoffs, and then the next thing you know we look pretty good.' Evan Rodrigues #17 of the Florida Panthers celebrates with Sam Bennett #9 after scoring a goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during the second period in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center on May 28, 2025 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Photo by Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images When it was over, the Panthers posed for pictures on Carolina's home ice during the presentation of the Prince of Wales Trophy for the conference winner. Some Hurricanes fans remained defiant, offering scattered 'Let's go, Oilers!' chants. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The angst is appropriate considering how Florida has now twice ended Carolina's push to its first Cup Final since winning the franchise's lone title in 2006 when now-coach Rod Brind'Amour was captain. Florida had won the first three games of this series but lost 3-0 at home Monday night as the Hurricanes averted a second straight sweep against Florida. But by the final horn Wednesday, the Panthers had won all three games in Raleigh in the series, pushed their road winning streak in these playoffs to five games and earned an eighth postseason road win overall. Matthew Tkachuk #19 of the Florida Panthers celebrates with teammates after a goal is scored against the Carolina Hurricanes during the third period in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center on May 28, 2025 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Photo by Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images 'They're a great team and it's obvious the last couple of years, they're the standard, obviously,' Brind'Amour said. 'I thought our guy battled really hard all series.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Tkachuk, Evan Rodrigues and Anton Lundell scored on consecutive shots during Florida's second-period flurry — two of those coming in a 30-second span — while Bobrovsky finished with 20 saves. Barkov's assist on Verhaeghe's winner also stood out as its own terrific individual effort. Florida's captain was jostling with Carolina's Dmitry Orlov in a battle near the boards on the left side when he turned toward the crease, stepped inside of Eric Robinson and sent the puck over to Verhaeghe for the finish that silenced a Hurricanes home crowd in full-throated roar after Jarvis' tying score. Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice watches as the players celebrate at the conclusion of Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Raleigh, N.C. Photo by Chris Seward / AP 'He took on one guy, then two guys and then gave the puck to me with a pretty open net,' Verhaeghe said. 'So it was an unbelievable play by Barky at a critical time.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Sebastian Aho scored twice in the first period for Carolina, both on neutral-zone giveaways — the first being one from Gustav Forsling that hit Aho in stride for a a breakaway chance that ended up in the net. Aho added another off a giveaway from Niko Mikkola with little more than a minute left in the first for a 2-0 lead. Mitch Marner's three-word response to Leafs loss against Panthers Carolina has won at least one postseason series in its current run of seven straight playoff appearances, though three have now ended in the Eastern final. Two of those had ended in sweeps in a losing conference-final losing streak that reached 15 games _ dating to sweeps in 2009, 2019 and the 2023 first tilt with the Panthers — before Monday's Game 4 win. Read More News News Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks News
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2 days ago
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For Panthers, clinching a 3rd consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Final didn't lead to celebrating
The Florida Panthers pose with the Prince of Wales trophy after defeating the Carolina Hurricanes to advance to the finals at the end of Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Raleigh, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward) Florida Panthers fans cheer after the team defeated the Carolina Hurricanes at the end of Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Raleigh, N.C. The Panthers advance to the Stanley Cup finals. (AP Photo/Chris Seward) Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell (15) celebrates his goal with center Brad Marchand, top right, and left wing Jonah Gadjovich (12) while Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) and center Sebastian Aho (20) react during the second period in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Raleigh, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward) Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell (15) celebrates his goal with center Brad Marchand, top right, and left wing Jonah Gadjovich (12) while Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) and center Sebastian Aho (20) react during the second period in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Raleigh, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward) The Florida Panthers pose with the Prince of Wales trophy after defeating the Carolina Hurricanes to advance to the finals at the end of Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Raleigh, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward) Florida Panthers fans cheer after the team defeated the Carolina Hurricanes at the end of Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Raleigh, N.C. The Panthers advance to the Stanley Cup finals. (AP Photo/Chris Seward) Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell (15) celebrates his goal with center Brad Marchand, top right, and left wing Jonah Gadjovich (12) while Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) and center Sebastian Aho (20) react during the second period in Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Raleigh, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward) SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — 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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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 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.' ___ AP NHL playoffs: and
