Panthers beat Rangers in Game 6 to advance to Stanley Cup Finals – Hockey Writers – NHL News
In Game 6 of a back-and-forth, the Florida Panthers took the championship and the Eastern Conference title from the New York Rangers with a 2-1 win at Amerant Bank Arena. For the second consecutive season and third in their history, they will represent the East in the Stanley Cup Finals – losing in five games to the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023 and being swept back in 1996 against the Colorado Avalanche.
With less than a minute left in the first half, Sam Bennett got the Panthers on the board. Because of the innocent pursuit, Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba overcommitted to checking the sticks, which created an open field for Florida. With more room, Bennett drove to teammate Evan Rodrigues, put it back, then blasted one over the glove of New York netminder Igor Shesterkin.
About midway through the third quarter, the Panthers found their groove. Forward Eetu Luostarinen won the puck battle, then fed Anton Lundell who found Vladimir Tarasenko in front of the net for an easy goal that Shesterkin missed. With a two-goal lead, Florida never looked back and won. The Rangers' Artemi Panarin made the Panthers sweat a little in the end, but it was too little, too late.
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For the Rangers, this is their third straight loss in the Eastern Conference Finals when they won. They lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in both 2015 and 2022, and now the Panthers this season. Florida teams seem to be their kryptonite.
The Panthers will be hunting for their first Stanley Cup in franchise history, possibly against the Edmonton Oilers or Dallas Stars pending the Western Conference Finals. If the Oilers win Game 6 or Game 7 of their series, the Panthers will have home ice advantage. If the Stars win both contests, the Panthers will be the road team in the Stanley Cup Final.
Related: 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs Conference Finals Hub
For the fifth consecutive season, the Stanley Cup Final will feature a Florida-based team representing the Eastern Conference. The Lightning have done this since 2020-2022, and the Panthers have now done so in back-to-back seasons. Before this run, the Lightning and Panthers had reached the finals only three times together.
Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, no matter how long the Oilers-Stars series lasts, will take place on June 8. The Panthers have yet to win the first Stanley Cup Final in their history, losing 3-1 to the Avalanche in 1996 and 5-2 to the Golden Knights in 2023. They will look to break this process.
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