Florida Panthers Shock the NHL: Inside Their Unexpected Surge Toward the Stanley Cup

Sunrise, Fla. — The Florida Panthers have cemented their status as a modern NHL powerhouse, defeating the Edmonton Oilers 4-1 in Game 6 to capture their second consecutive Stanley Cup and send the sold-out Amerant Bank Arena crowd into a frenzy. Aleksander Barkov hoisted the Cup after a dominant performance that saw Florida control the puck for more than 37 minutes, limiting Connor McDavid and the Oilers to just three high-danger chances through the first two periods. Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside 29 of 30 shots, closing the series with a .932 save percentage and staking his claim to back-to-back Conn Smythe Trophies. Key moments • First-period burst — Carter Verhaeghe opened the scoring 6:23 in, capitalizing on a rebound off the end boards. • Special-teams dagger — Matthew Tkachuk’s power-play tip midway through the second chased Stuart Skinner and gave Florida a 3-0 cushion. • Defensive clinic — Florida blocked 22 shots and won 59 % of the faceoffs, suffocating Edmonton’s vaunted rush attack. Why this win matters 1. Back-to-back Cups: Florida becomes the first team since the 2016–17 Penguins to repeat as champions, validating GM Bill Zito’s aggressive roster construction. 2. Sunrise dynasty buzz: The core of Barkov, Tkachuk, Bobrovsky, Verhaeghe and Aaron Ekblad is signed through at least 2027, positioning the Panthers for a sustained run. 3. Sunbelt surge: With sellouts all postseason and TV ratings up 41 % locally, hockey’s footprint in South Florida has never been bigger. What’s next • Parade details: The championship parade will roll down Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale on Friday at 11 a.m. ET, followed by a rally at Esplanade Park. • Off-season outlook: Florida holds the 30th pick in the 2025 draft and has roughly $9 million in projected cap space; re-signing pending UFA Sam Reinhart is priority No. 1. • 2026 three-peat odds: Early sportsbooks list the Panthers at +700, trailing only the Colorado Avalanche and Toronto Maple Leafs. How to replay Game 6 Full replays are available on ESPN+, while NHL Network will air an encore broadcast tonight at 8 p.m. ET. Search-friendly quick hits • Florida Panthers score today • Panthers vs Oilers Game 6 highlights • Stanley Cup parade Fort Lauderdale route • Connor McDavid stats vs Panthers • Panthers three-peat odds 2026 With confetti still on the ice and “Sweet Florida” blaring over the speakers, one message rang clear from Sunrise: the hunt continues—only now, the Panthers are chasing history.