It still feels like yesterday when this happened. Well, believe it or not, we are two full years removed from one of the greatest triumphs in the history of the Florida Panthers. The 2023 run through the Stanley Cup Playoffs was the life that the franchise sorely needed. Before 2023, the Panthers were one of the biggest laughingstocks in the NHL.
The franchise had only one deep playoff run, the iconic march to the 1996 Stanley Cup Final. That was only the team's third season in the league, and South Florida wouldn't see another run for more than a quarter of a century. Then, magic struck, and it was here to stay. After a President's Trophy-winning season the year before, general manager Bill Zito struck a blockbuster trade in the offseason.
At the time, the trade seemed like a massive risk, considering how Huberdeau was coming off a season in which he racked up a career-best 115 points. However, knowing what we know now, it was a great trade pulled off by Zito. They then hired a new head coach in Paul Maurice, who had worn out his welcome in Winnipeg. It took time for the Panthers to put everything together.
Right before the All-Star break, Florida held a mediocre record of 24-22-6. However, right before the break, the Panthers took down the Bruins in overtime on January 28 of that season, in dramatic fashion. That was the same Boston team that would ultimately win the Presidents' Trophy. That was a sign of things to come. If you need a refresher on that game, the highlights are below.
After the break, Florida would go on to win 18 of their final 30 games to get back in the race for the last wild-card playoff spot in the East. Eventually, thanks to some help given by Pittsburgh, the Cats crashed the postseason party. We all know what would happen next. The Panthers would rally from a 3-1 series deficit and stun Boston in Game 7 of the first round.
In the second round, the Cats would easily dismantle Toronto. Florida would go up 3-0 in the series before clinching it in Game 5 with an overtime goal by Nick Cousins. That set up an Eastern Conference Final matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes. That year, the Canes won the Metropolitan Division and dispatched the New York Islanders in six games to begin their run.
In the second round, Carolina took down the New Jersey Devils in five games. This trip to the conference final was just the second time in franchise history that the Panthers made it this far in the playoffs. When no one saw the scenario playing out, Florida was only four wins away from competing in the Stanley Cup Final. The series, like this year's edition, began in Raleigh. Let's go back in time and revisit this timeless Cats classic!
The first game of this legendary series has the most lore. The May 28th series opener started slowly. For nearly the entire first period, neither team found the back of the net. However, with 6:30 left, Carolina had their first golden scoring chance. On the power play, Jesperi Kotkaniemi received a pass down the middle of the ice.
Stick handling from his knees, he set up Jack Drury, but Sergei Bobrovsky made a great save. Several minutes later, Carolina would get a 5-on-3 power play, and with 11.1 seconds left, Seth Jarvis fired a slap shot off a pass from Sebastian Aho and lit the lamp for the first time. The middle period saw no scoring until the late stages as well. The only difference was that Florida found itself on the board.
The first line of Carter Verhaeghe, Aleksander Barkov, and Anthony Duclair struck lightning twice. At the 15:28 mark, Barkov received a cross-ice feed from Duclair and ripped a wrist shot just inside the right face-off circle. The puck was roofed to the top right corner and tied the game. A little more than two minutes later, Verhaeghe scored off his wrister after skating and maneuvering inside the left face-off circle.
Florida had a 2-1 lead entering the third period. Unfortunately, for the visiting Panthers, it wouldn't last long. Carolina received another power play chance, and at the 3:47 mark, Stefan Noesen, the result of quick passing. It was well earned as immediately at the start of the final frame, the Canes peppered Bobrovsky and created scoring chances.
For the rest of the final regulation frame, no more scoring would be seen. The game would remain tied at two for what felt like a marathon. However, there was a twist. It's easy to forget, but less than four minutes into the first overtime, Ryan Lomberg scored the winner. However, it got called back due to there being goaltender interference on the play.
Seth Jarvis had a slot shot ricochet off the pipe a few minutes later. In the second overtime, Sergei Bobrovsky made some saves in front of his crease to keep the game tied. In the third overtime, the best chance to end the game went to the Panthers. With 14 and a half minutes left, Brandon Montour was left all alone in front of the net.
He tried to dangle on the backhand, but he couldn't raise the puck, and Frederik Andersen made an easy save. Finally, in the fourth overtime, both teams flirted with ending the game once and for all. Nothing amounted to anything. Then, at 1:56 AM Eastern time, Matthew Tkachuk played the role of hero. With 12.7 seconds left, he fired a loose puck over the glove of Andersen, and Florida took Game 1.
Game 2 of the series saw even less scoring. However, the matchup opened up with some fireworks. Just 1:43 into the game, the Hurricanes struck first for the second time in the series. Stefan Noesen received a pass along the boards and fired a weak shot on net. It was steered aside by Bobrovsky. Then, Sebastian Aho received the puck and slid a slap pass, which was deflected in by Jalen Chatfield.
Carolina dominated the first period, and it looked like it would be 2-0 with a goal from Jack Drury. However, it was called back due to the play being offside. The Hurricanes registered 20 shots on net before the Panthers got to 10. The score would remain 1-0 for the rest of the period. Florida got right back to work in the middle frame.
At the 7:43 mark of the second period, Aleksander Barkov scored one of the prettiest goals of the series. Carter Verhaeghe wrapped the puck around the boards while still in the neutral zone. Eventually, the puck found its way to defenseman Josh Mahura at the blue line after Caroline failed to get a clear. He found Barkov unattended in the middle of the ice, and he did the rest.
With the game tied at one, the game would see both teams try and break the deadlocked score, but to no avail. Bobby did make a phenomenal save, sliding across to his stick side with 6:06 left in the second period. For the first time since 1977, the opening two games of a conference final series would head to overtime. But how long would this one take? Well, not for long.
At the 1:39 mark of overtime, Kotkaniemi would go to the penalty box as he got called for a hooking penalty. It was committed in front of the Carolina net, on Josh Mahura. Immediately, Florida seized on the moment. Paul Maurice put in his PP unit of Barkov, Tkachuk, Same Reinhart, Sam Bennett, and Montour. Bennett found a loose puck along the boards and went cross-ice to Reinhart.
Reinhart, unattended, then saw Tkachuk right across from where he was. He willingly and softly fed the puck to Tkachuk, and he scored his second game winner of the series. Florida headed back home, up 2-0.
In Game 3, the Panthers returned home to what was now a full house at the then FLA Live Arena. Seeing a full building was still something the franchise was getting used to after years of irrelevance. It was a breath of fresh air, and Sergei Bobrovsky had arguably his best outing of the series. He stopped all 32 shots that the Hurricanes put on net for a 1-0 shutout.
In the first period, his most impressive save came on a breakaway. With six and a half minutes left, Brent Burns passed the puck over to Sebastian Aho, who then saw a streaking Stefan Noesen. Noesen took advantage of Brandon Montour and Marc Staal getting caught taking a nap and went through the middle of the ice.
Bob stood his ground and made a clutch glove save. In the second period, Brady Skjei of the Hurricanes hit a post, but the puck stayed out. A few minutes later, Bobby stopped Sebastian Aho on the doorstep by using his blocker. Several minutes later, Skjei would get caught committing a slashing penalty on Anton Lundell.
He went to the box, and just eight seconds into the man-advantage, Sam Reinhart launched a quick shot that hit the top left corner and went in for a power play goal. He caught a hard pass from Tkachuk and turned around to fire it, falling on his right knee in the process.
In the third, the opposition tried to knot things up. However, the future Hall of Fame goalie who was once viewed as a damaged good continued to be locked in. If there was a moment where someone was truly in the zone, it was Sergei Bobrovsky on that night. At the conclusion, Carolina outshot the Cats 32-17, but it was all for not. Florida led the series 3-0, which set up one of the greatest moments in Panthers history.
May 24, 2023, became one of the greatest days in Panthers history. Years after never coming close to competing for a Stanley Cup, the Cats stood just one 60-minute effort away from doing so. In the first period, lightning struck fast. 41 seconds in, one of the weirder playoff goals you'll ever see, went in favor of the Panthers.
Anthony Duclair got an unforeseen second chance when Frederik Andersen was trying to locate the puck.
At the 8:30 mark, Sebastian Aho took an interference penalty. On the power play, Aaron Ekblad took a weak shot towards the net. It got deflected by the stick of Brent Burns and found its way to Matthew Tkachuk and snuck the puck past Andersen, five-hole. Despite a 2-0 lead, Carolina would eventually tie the game. First, Paul Stasny scored after a shot ricocheted off the post.
It was sitting in the blue paint, and he knocked it in. 2:51 into the second, Teuvo Teräväinen knotted up the score at two goals each, after the initial Brady Skjei shot from the point didn't get through. Several minutes later, Florida would get the lead back. At the 9:49 mark, Ryan Lomberg finished a play that began at the blue line.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi got the puck stripped from him by Lomberg while he was trying to enter the neutral zone. He backhanded a pass for Eric Staal, who then dropped it off to the trailer, Colin White. White went back to Lomberg and finished the play. Florida would keep the lead deep into the third frame.
But, 16:38 into it, Carolina tied the game up once again, when Jesper Fast snuck a puck past the goal line. That would set the stage for the dramatic final stretch. Eventually, you know what happened next. First, Jordan Staal of the Canes took a tripping penalty at the 19:03 mark of the third period. Florida got a power play as a result and stood on the man-advantage for the remainder of the third.
With five seconds left in regulation, Matthew Tkachuk, who was behind the net, went around it, caught a pass from Barkov, and waited patiently for an opening to emerge. He roofed the puck on Andersen's stick side and scored the series-clinching goal. He then skated back to center ice in celebration and slid across the ice on his knees in one of the most iconic moments ever.
Despite Florida losing the Stanley Cup Final to Vegas shortly after, this moment propelled the Panthers to one of the NHL's elite franchises. This series marked the start of the greatest era in franchise history, which is still going strong in 2025. This moment will forever be remembered by Panthers fans of all ages. It should live on forever.