In Photos: Pop icon Ariana Grande recreates adorable childhood pics with Panthers mascot at Stanley Cup Final

By Abhilasha Aditi

Modified Jun 11, 2024 14:39 GMT

Pop icon Ariana Grande has been showing enthusiastic support for her hometown Florida Panthers during the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. She attended Game 1 of the Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena on Saturday, cheering for the Panthers.

Grande grew up in Boca Raton and has a deep connection with the team. She sang the National Anthem at a Panthers game when she was just eight years old.

On Monday, Grande was seen again at Game 2 of the Final. The NHL noted her presence with a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating:

"Guess who's back?! It's Ariana Grande!"

Ariana Grande posted some fun and nostalgic moments on Instagram. First, she recreated cute childhood photos with the Panthers' mascot. One story showed a young Ariana on the ice with the mascot. She wore skating heels, knee and hand pads, and a helmet as the mascot stood behind her.

Ariana Grande with the Panthers mascot as a kid

Next, she shared a video from a Panthers game. The crowd was cheering:

"Let's go Panthers."

The Panthers mascot

In the last story, Ariana hugged the mascot.

Ariana Grande shared a hug with the Panthers' mascot

During Game 1, Ariana Grande wore the Panthers cat ears, while sitting in a suite next to her boyfriend, actor Ethan Slater. Her love for the Panthers is clear. She continues to support them passionately during the Stanley Cup Final.

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Florida Panthers defeat Edmonton Oilers 4-1 in Game 2 of Stanley Cup Final

In Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, the Florida Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers 4-1, taking a 2-0 series lead. Florida’s Evan Rodrigues scored two third-period goals, and Niko Mikkola and Aaron Ekblad also contributed.

Panthers’ goalie Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 18 shots, bringing the team within two wins of their first championship. However, Florida's captain, Aleksander Barkov, was injured by a hit from Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl and had to leave the game.

Edmonton’s Mattias Ekholm scored their lone goal, and goalie Stuart Skinner made 25 saves. Edmonton faces a tough challenge, having come back from a 2-0 series deficit only once before. Emotions ran high, with Edmonton’s Warren Foegele ejected early for a knee-on-knee hit. The Oilers were short-handed for much of the game due to injuries.

Rodrigues' early third-period goal put Florida ahead, and Ekblad’s empty-net goal sealed the win. Edmonton’s Connor McDavid missed a key breakaway chance. Florida outshot Edmonton 22-7 after two periods and maintained their lead despite a late push from the Oilers. Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final is set for Thursday in Edmonton.