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Watch: Florida Panthers' Marc Staal gifts the celebratory puck to Gustav Forsling after winning Conference Finals
On Wednesday night, the Florida Panthers advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1996, sweeping the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Florida Panthers won their second Eastern Conference championship since making their NHL debut in 1993. Back in the locker room, the players shared a joyful moment, with defenseman Marc Staal presenting the celebratory puck to Gustav Forsling following the win.
Watch the video below:
A glimpse at the Florida Panthers' path to the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals
The Florida Panthers' path to the playoffs was littered with obstacles. They were once on the verge of being eliminated from contention. Still, they exhibited remarkable resilience and grit, allowing them to qualify for the playoffs as the second Wild Card team from the Eastern Conference.
In Round 1, they were up against the Boston Bruins, who posted the best record in the regular season. The Panthers were the least favorites to defeat the mighty Bruins and were expected by many to be eliminated in the first round only.
After trailing 3-1 in the series, the Panthers won the next three games to advance past the Boston Bruins in the first round. The Panthers faced another difficult opponent in Round 2: The Toronto Maple Leafs. The Panthers upped the ante once more, defeating the Maple Leafs in five games to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 27 years.
The Florida Panthers' Cinderella story continued in the Eastern Conference Finals, as they went on to dominate the Carolina Hurricanes, keeping them shut throughout the series to clinch the Eastern Conference title with a series sweep.
One of the main reasons the Panthers made it this far in the competition was the contributions of Matthew Tkachuk and Sergei Bobrovsky. Both of them maintained stellar form throughout the Panthers' playoff run.
Matthew Tkachuk has been leading the Panthers in scoring with 21 points (nine goals and 12 assists) from 16 games. While Sergei Bobrovsky has an 11-2 record with a 2.21 goals-against-average and a 0.935 save percentage record in 14 games. Both players have the best odds to win the Conn Smythe Trophy.
The Panthers will face either the Vegas Golden Knights or the Dallas Stars in the 2023 Stanley Cup final. The Vegas Golden Knights are currently leading the series 3-0 and will be in action for Game 4 on Thursday.
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