‘It’s a blessing’: Panthers join historic NHL list with 3rd straight trip to Cup Final

FORT LAUDERDALE – Nothing but excitement in Sunrise.

Set to face-off against the Edmonton Oilers once again, the Florida Panthers will soon be taking the ice in their third straight Stanley Cup Final.

Of course, the defending champs also hope for the same end result.

After defeating the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final in five games, the Panthers became the ninth team in NHL history to reach the Cup Final three years in a row.

Joining elite company, that list includes the Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, St. Louis Blues and Tampa Bay Lightning.

In the last 40 years, only the two squads from the Sunshine State have accomplished the feat.

"It's a blessing to be in the Final three years in a row,” Sergei Bobrovsky said after Sunday’s practice at Baptist Health IcePlex. “We're excited about what's coming. We passed three really good teams. All of them are really good teams. Now, it's a good challenge in front of us as well."

A grueling task to just make one Cup Final, the Panthers have created a culture and put in the work that has made the consecutive appearances not only attainable, but expected.

“My experience from the time I started to get on the phone was these guys are different,” head coach Paul Maurice said who has been behind the bench for all three runs in his three years in Florida. “I can't explain it. Now I'm three years in and I'm starting to understand it a little bit. I don't feel responsible for it, I don't. It's been fun to observe, but I don't like the idea that it's comparative. These guys are different.”

During the three runs to the Cup, the Panthers have won an NHL-leading 41 playoff games in that span.

Also playing in a league-high 308 games (regular season plus playoffs) over the past three seasons, Maurice has been able to push the right buttons and let the team lead itself when needed.

"He has so much experience and he trusts the people around him as well,” Bobrovsky said of Maurice. “He knows the game very well. He knows the human mind very well. He knows what to say and when to say it. He's a big leader and he's a big reason why we have been to three finals in a row."

While the team is grateful for the three appearances, the sights are now on keeping the Cup in South Florida.

With a win, the Panthers would become just the 10th team in NHL history to repeat as champions and the eighth since the League’s expansion era (1968).

“You think about it all summer,” Matthew Tkachuk said of the Cup Final. “You think about this moment of getting back and the chance to compete. It’s so hard to (get there) and very few players are able to get a chance at one even. If you would’ve asked both of us (Florida and Edmonton) in the middle of the summer we’d have a chance to play for a Stanley Cup rematch, we would both race to sign that paper.”