Even the only two other South Florida teams that went to three straight championship rounds like the Panthers carry scars of their journeys. Coach Don Shula stood in the Dolphins locker room after losing the 1971 Super Bowl and told his players, “Remember how bad you feel to help win next year.” They won the next two titles.

When the Florida Panthers won their first-ever Stanley Cup last year, a fan at The Brightside bar in Miami declared on live TV: "We are a hockey town!" Never mind that the Panthers play about an hour away in Broward County,

The Florida Panthers missed a chance to close out their series vs. the Carolina Hurricanes, but hit the road again, where they've played their best.

Maurice tried to frame the missed opportunity in a positive light by calling it “a learning opportunity.” And the Panthers have learned a lot in the past to get them to the verge of their third consecutive Cup Final appearance. So, they know they simply need to play better in Game 5 to avoid having to come back home for Game 6 on Friday.

Florida Panthers fan wave their towels during the first period of Game 4 of a Stanley Cup playoffs second-round series on Sunday, May 11, 2025, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla. Alie Skowronski [email protected] The Eastern Conference final has shifted to home ice for the Florida Panthers.

The Panthers' new tradition plays on Marchand's reputation as a "rat" -- but the celebration can trace its roots back almost 30 years.