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Back-to-Back Stanley Cup Champions
After a disappointing defeat in game four at home with the Edmonton Oilers coming back from 3-0 to even the series, the Panthers responded strongly at Rogers Place with a 5-2 victory to take a 3-2 series lead. The Oilers play has been inconsistent and not as strong as last year's Stanley Cup Finals performance with a desperate need to win in game six. The Panthers had the chance to close out the series at the Amerant Bank Arena to capture their second straight title.
With the Oilers in need of getting on the board first and not playing from behind it would be Sam Reinhart who would ruin that plan. Just four minutes into the first period Reinhart falling to the ice fired a shot past Skinner for 1-0. This rattled the Oilers and never regained their confidence as they were dominated in all aspects of the game. Florida would double the lead in the first period with Matthew Tkachuk making it 2-0.
In the third period it would mostly remain the same until 17 minutes into the period that Reinhart would get himself a brace making the game 3-0. Now we've seen the Oilers come back from 3-1 and 3-0 this series but the way they looked in this game with a masterclass of a performance from Florida it didn't seem likely.
In the third period the Oilers decided to remove Skinner from goal down 3-0 and keep an empty net with that decision backfiring. Reinhart would get his hat trick extending the Panthers lead to 4-0 after 13 minutes into the period. Another empty net goal would certainly end things as if it wasn't already with Reinhart getting his fourth goal making it 5-0. The Oilers would get on the board through Podkolzin making it 5-1 but it was a little too late. The Panthers would repeat as Stanley Cup Champions with Sam Bennett winning the Con Smythe trophy.
The Florida Panthers championship parade will occur on Sunday down Fort Lauderdale Beach.
Written by: Daniel Torres
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