Story Finally Finished: Florida Panthers 2024 Stanley Cup Champions

Sergei Bobrovsky found his form once again for the Florida Panthers. After skipping Sunday’s practice, Bobrovsky was back for the morning skate on Monday and did not feel the weight of the moment. Playoff Bob was back. He was the guy that many thought would win the Conn Smythe after Game 3 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.

It was a goalie duel between Stuart Skinner and Bobrovsky. Bobrovsky was in rare form. He was back, but so was the team in front of him. In their previous series, Skinner played like the guy he was for the Oilers from Games 4-7. Though you could argue the Reinhart goal was a softy. But he gave his team a chance to win.

The first period was played with great pace as the Panthers found their game for the first time since period three of Game 5. Mr. Playoff for the Panthers showed up in Game 7 as Carter Verheaghe opened the scoring on a deflected shot from Evan Rodrigues.

The lead was short-lived as Mattias Janmark answered for the Oilers with a quick strike to tie the game 1-1. Janmark got a great stretch pass from Cody Ceci.

The first period was action-packed, but things settled down between the Oilers and Panthers in the second period. Each team played this Game 7 tight defensively. Both teams knew what the next goal meant. The Panthers and Oilers were getting in lanes to block shots, especially the Panthers. The shots that got through the goalies could see them.

It did not hurt the Panthers or Bobrovsky; they got some breaks. The Oilers pressured the Panthers in the second period, and their cycle game kept them pinned in, but they could not beat Bobrovsky. The Oilers were inches from taking the lead, but Dmitry Kulikov saved a goal and got the puck out of the crease.

Kulikov led the rush up the ice, feeding the puck to Verhaeghe, who dropped it on Sam Reinhart. Reinhart’s shot from the top of the circle beat Skinner, sending Amerant Bank Arena into a frenzy as the Panthers took a 2-1 lead.

Then, midway through the third period, Bobrovsky found even more luck. During a net-mouth scramble with Bobrovsky out of his net, the Oilers had a chance to tie the game, but Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman could not punch it home. The Panthers were furiously blocking the shot that could tie the game.

The Panthers returned to the defensive game leading to the Stanley Cup Final. They did not give the Oilers much to shoot out. Every Panthers player blocked shots because this was Game 7, and they knew what a win would do for this franchise.

Ultimately, the Oilers could not tie the game, and the Florida Panthers did what they did every series and buried the puck in the corner to win the Stanley Cup.

The Florida Panthers were crowned 2024 Stanley Cup Champions.

Connor McDavid was named the Conn Smythe Trophy Winner as Playoff MVP.