The Florida Panthers had a tough battle ahead of them when they entered the NHL playoffs this year. They started their battle by taking down the Tampa Bay Lightning in 5, followed by the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers in 6 games each before advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals against the Edmonton Oilers.
The Stanley Cup Finals started on a high note for Florida, pulling themselves into a 3-0 series lead against the Edmonton Oilers. However, they found themselves in a rut after losing three consecutive games, forced into a pivotal Game 7.
Fortunately for Florida, the team finally pulled themselves back out on top of the Edmonton Oilers. Following a hard Game 7 battle, the Panthers have officially, after 30 years in the league, won their very first Stanley Cup. Thus, Aleksander Barkov became the first Finnish captain to carry the trophy.
This has been one of the most entertaining and important games in NHL history, and to come out the winner must feel great for long-time Florida Panthers fans. Unfortunately for the Canadian teams, it could be another 31 years.
