NHL awards announcement

Florida Panthers Win First Stanley Cup, Defeat Oilers 2-1 in Game 7, Avoid Historic Collapse

Jun 25, 2024, 02:59 AM

The Florida Panthers have won their first Stanley Cup in franchise history, defeating the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 in a thrilling Game 7. The Panthers, who faced the brink of a historic collapse after losing three consecutive games, managed to secure the championship with a strong defensive performance. Aleksander Barkov, the first Finnish captain to lift the Stanley Cup, passed the trophy to Sergei Bobrovsky, who made crucial saves throughout the game. Kyle Okposo was the third to hoist the Cup. This victory marks a significant milestone for the Panthers, who lost in the Stanley Cup Final just a year ago. Connor McDavid of the Oilers was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs MVP, despite the loss. Coach Paul Maurice led the Panthers to this historic win, which comes 30 years after the franchise's inception in 1993.