Florida Panthers Net Third Straight Stanley Cup Finals Appearance

By Karen Curtis
Florida Panthers v Carolina Hurricanes - Game Five

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 28: Aleksander Barkov #16 and the Florida Panthers pose with the Prince of Wales Trophy after defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 5-3 in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center on May 28, 2025 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)Photo: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images

Florida Panthers are headed back to the Stanley Cup Final after winning the Prince of Wales Trophy last night.

Cats get their 3rd straight trip back and will defend their championship after a 5-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes.

Panthers’ Carter Verhaeghe lit the lamp after snagging a clean feed from team captain Aleksander Barkov and Sam Bennett later added an empty-net goal to potentially elevate Florida into dynasty status.

Verhaeghe scored his 12th career postseason game-winning goal. He told the TNT Sports broadcast, “It’s a team effort every night … It’s just sticking to our system.”

Panthers face the Western Conference Final winner with the Edmonton Oilers up 3-1 in the series and play game 5 in Dallas tonight.

The Stanley Cup Finals are scheduled to begin on June 8.

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