The Florida Panthers are back in the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight year after defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 5-3 in Game 5 to win the Eastern Conference final 4-1. Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov kept up with playoff superstition by leaving the Prince of Wales Trophy untouched during the team photo, just like last year when they won the Stanley Cup.
Playoff Superstitions and the Prince of Wales Trophy
Many NHL teams have traditions around whether or not to touch the conference championship trophy. The Panthers followed coach Paul Maurice’s advice from last year: don’t touch the trophy. This superstition seemed to work, as Florida went on to win the Stanley Cup in 2024 after taking a strong lead in the final series against the Edmonton Oilers.
Different teams have different beliefs about the trophy. The Vegas Golden Knights avoided touching the Western Conference’s Campbell Bowl in 2023 and won the Cup, while the Colorado Avalanche touched it in 2022 and also won. Tampa Bay Lightning touched the Wales Trophy in 2020 and 2021 and won the Cup both times.
Game Highlights and Team Chemistry
In Game 5, the Hurricanes took an early 2-0 lead, but the Panthers fought back with three goals in the second period. Although Hurricanes’ Seth Jarvis tied the game in the third, Carter Verhaeghe scored his third career series-clinching goal after a perfect assist from Barkov.
Verhaeghe praised Barkov’s playmaking, saying, “He took two guys on, gave me a backdoor tap-in. It’s just being in the right spot. It was obviously a big goal, and it was all ‘Barky’ tonight.”
Fun Traditions Keep the Panthers Close
The Panthers have their own fun team rituals, including shooting fake rats at Boston Bruins star Brad Marchand after wins. Marchand also leads the team on Dairy Queen runs, adding a lighthearted side to their serious playoff focus.
Verhaeghe joked about Marchand’s love for ice cream, saying, “Marchy could probably eat three Blizzards at once.”
Looking Ahead: Waiting for the Western Conference Champion
Now the Panthers wait to see who they will face in the Stanley Cup Final. The Edmonton Oilers currently lead the Dallas Stars 3-1 in the Western Conference final, with Game 5 scheduled in Dallas. Florida hopes to defend their title and become back-to-back Stanley Cup champions.
