Florida claws past Carolina 4–1 in the series — next stop: the big dance
The Florida Panthers are headed back to the Stanley Cup Final — and they didn’t even need a Game 6 to do it.
With a 4–2 win in Game 5 over the Carolina Hurricanes, Florida sealed the deal and secured their spot in the NHL’s biggest showdown. The Cats came in like a team on a mission and left like a team with unfinished business.
Carter Verhaeghe and Aleksander Barkov were skating like they had turbo buttons, and Sergei Bobrovsky slammed the playoff door shut with another solid performance between the pipes. Florida played like a squad that remembered the heartbreak of last year — and this time, they’re not leaving anything to chance.
The Hurricanes gave it a fight, but the bounces didn’t go their way. Sebastian Aho and company were buzzing but couldn’t find enough finish to extend the series. Carolina bows out with grit, but Florida? They’re headed for glory.
🔥 Stanley Cup Final, here they come. Panthers fans, sharpen those claws.