The Florida Panthers celebrate after defeating the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at FLA Live Arena on May 22, 2023 in Sunrise, Florida.
Posted on 05/24/2023 7:35:24 AM PDT by FLNittany
The Florida Panthers celebrate after defeating the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at FLA Live Arena on May 22, 2023 in Sunrise, Florida.
SUNRISE, Fla. – The Florida Panthers have exceeded expectations every step of the way during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Now, South Florida’s hockey team is one game away from doing something it hasn’t done since 1996.
During Monday night’s Eastern Conference Final Game 3, it only took one goal.
Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky made 32 saves for his first career playoff shutout to help the Panthers take a commanding 3-0 lead in the series.
Alex Lopez, Jacob Langsam, And TJ Peterson are life-long Panthers fans.
“Everything that’s been going on, it’s just…wow” said Lopez.
The three have a podcast called Panther Pouri, and they, like other diehard fans, are enjoying this ride as much as they can.
“To say surreal doesn’t even really capture it,” said Peterson. “It was surreal two weeks ago. This doesn’t happen to the Florida Panthers, it simply doesn’t.”
On Tuesday, Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad and forward Eetu Luostarinen addressed the media inside FLA Live Arena.
Ekblad, who has been with the Panthers since being selected first overall in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, said the team and its fans deserve this.
“Waiting, working to get here, to get to this opportunity, is obviously a long time coming for us, for them,” said Ekblad. “It’s huge, it’s exciting.”
And the fans couldn’t agree more.
“It’s the most energizing feeling that I’ve ever experienced as a hockey fan, being in this building, just packed to the rafters with Panthers fans,” said Langsam. “The rafters which hopefully will have another couple of banners hanging in the near future.”
There was also some good news from Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice on Tuesday.
He said he’s “optimistic” Florida captain Aleksander Barkov, who left Monday’s game during the first period with a lower-body injury, will be available for Game 4 on Wednesday.
Amazing. A friend of mine had ridden them all the way to $30K in the playoffs and put $22K on the money line tonight. I think he’s a happy man right now.
Oh no, Tkachuk touched the conference trophy! And they’ve picked it up and carried it around.
They’re screwed!
That’s ok, you just can’t touch The Stanley Cup before you win it.
Ahh, not ever for me. Basketball is the one sport I pay very little attention to. I don’t watch the pros at all, and barely care about college.
Hockey is way more fun to watch, hands down.
Mr FF says it’s bad luck to touch the conference trophy, even if you’ve won it. I don’t know, so I’ll have to defer to him, but I HOPE you’re right!
Nice!!
Totally agree! Especially playoff hockey.
Playoff hockey is probably the best sport of all of them. My husband laughed last night as the clock ticked down, and I was yelling for the Panthers to keep working and to put the game away before time expired. I was so animated, and he chuckled at the sight. He realizes pretty frequently that he married the right girl.
Oh, and they must have heard me. I got my wish!
I was so animated, and he chuckled at the sight. He realizes pretty frequently that he married the right girl.
Yep. I occasionally remind my husband of that as well. A good number of women would be watching BRAVO or something instead of playoff hockey. ;-)
Ahh, so we are kindred spirits! I love that there are at least two of us!
Our youngest son played ice hockey in middle and high school. He was a small guy, but he loved being on the ice!
BRAVO? What’s that? ;)
Hooked on sports. It will forever be a part of me. It’s in my DNA, I think.
Stars aren’t dead yet!
Only if it is a girls', apparently, and she chooses to take it into the men's locker room.
Only if it is a girls', apparently, and she chooses to take it into the men's locker room.
Hangin on! That was a good fight tonight!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.