Florida pulls off a huge stunt in the NHL – then all eyes turn to Aleksander Barkov, who turns on the superstition | Sport

The Florida Panthers won the NHL 2-1 against the New York Rangers and took the Eastern Conference championship with a 4-2 match win.

Alexander Barkov captained by the Panthers, they became the sixth team in the past 30 years to reach the Stanley Cup Finals in two consecutive seasons.

Others who have succeeded in the trick in the time period are the Tampa Bay Lightning (2020-2022), Pittsburgh Penguins (2016-2017 and 2008-2009), Detroit Red Wings (2008-2009 and 1997-1998), New Jersey Devils (2000-2001) and Dallas Stars (1999–2000).

Florida also became the third team in NHL history to knock off the NHL’s best regular season team in two consecutive seasons. A year ago, Florida beat the Boston Bruins in the playoffs.

For the Panthers, the place in the finals is the third in the club’s history and they are looking for their first championship. In 1996, Florida lost the final series to Colorado 0–4 and last year to Vegas 1–4.

The Rangers have won four Stanley Cups, but the most recent was in 1994. In 2014, the Rangers lost the Stanley Cup Finals to the Kings, and have since lost the Conference Finals three times.

In the finals, Florida will face Dallas or Edmonton, who will face Finland on the night before Monday. Edmonton leads the series 3–2. If Florida faces Edmonton, it will have home court advantage. If Dallas advances to the finals, it will have home advantage.

This time, a touch of superstition

After the match, Florida received the Prince of Wales Trophy, the winner of the Eastern Conference. Oftentimes, the team’s players will not touch the trophy from winning the conference because it is thought to bring bad luck to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Last year, Barkov and his partners did not believe the superstitious nonsense, but celebrated with the trophy. They lost the finals. Also in 1996 Panthers skipper Brian Skrudland hoisted the Prince of Wales Trophy, and then the Avalanche rumbled the Panthers on their way to the Stanley Cup.

This time the Florida players did not touch the trophy.

“We touched it last year and it didn’t work, so we thought we’d try something different this year,” Florida forward Sam Bennett explained after the match.

The US commentators noted how Florida’s head coach Paul Maurice instructed Barkov that there is no reason to celebrate with the trophy this time.

Still a Panthers star last year Matthew Tkachuk stated that the team is not really superstitious, but it’s great to carry the conference stand, celebrate and take pictures with it.

Of course, recent history does not support the superstition of the Panthers. The NHL tells on their website, that five of the past eight Eastern Stanley Cup champions have touched the Prince of Wales Trophy. The superstition with the glove has been referred to, among other things, by those who raised the conference uprights and then celebrated the Stanley Cup Sidney Crosby.

The winning trophy of the Eastern Conference traveled to sunny Florida for the fifth year. First it was won three times in a row by the Tampa Bay Lightning and now twice in a row by the Panthers.

Luostarinen and Lundell started the winning goal

Rangers started the match strongly, and among other things Kaapo Kako was a great place.

Florida, the Russian keeper who found a great mood again as his last lock Sergei Bobrovsky, however, managed to completely freeze the Rangers’ star scoring taps in the conference finals. For example Mika Zibanejad did not paint once in the Florida series, Chris Kreider and Artemi Panarin once in a while.

The opening goal was seen in the last minute of the first period, when Evan Rodrigues passed the puck to Sam Bennett, who shot the puck directly from the pass into the top corner. The goal was Bennett’s fourth in the conference finals. In the playoffs, the Canadian striker’s performances are recorded as 6+4.

There were no hits in the second period. In the third period, we saw the Florida goal brilliantly executed by the Finnish duo. Eetu Luostarinen picked up the puck in the attack zone, passed To Anton Lundellwho in turn found a shot from the front of the goal to finish Vladimir Tarasenko.

The same Finnish duo also played a big role in Florida’s previous victory. That’s when Luostarinen passed and Lundell scored the most important goal of his career, giving the Panthers a 2–1 lead.

With the assist, Lundell has 3+9 in 17 playoff games. Luostarinen, in turn, has collected 1+5 performances in 17 matches.

Rangers narrowed down without a goalkeeper by Artemi Panarin hitting in 58.20, but the final score was not enough.

Based on the stats, Florida deserved their win. Sergei Bobrovski blocked 23 shots in the Panthers’ goal. Igor Šestjorkin stretched to 32 saves with the Rangers goal. According to MoneyPuck, Florida won 2.92-1.79.

What did you learn last year?

– When the pressure was the greatest, we played our best hockey, Panthers head coach Paul Maurice glowed.

According to Maurice, Florida has an even more committed and balanced lineup than a year ago.

Matthew Tkachuk praised his team’s commitment and dedication to the season after last summer’s finals disappointment.

– The guys who were here last year did an incredible job and came back to training camp with only this in mind. We’re not done yet. We are very happy with the way the playoffs have gone, but this year the feeling is definitely different.

– There is nothing better than playing ice hockey in June.

Tarasenko, who also scored the winning goal, emphasized that last year’s experience will definitely help. He himself joined the Panthers in the winter transfer window from Ottawa.

– When I joined the team, most of them had been in the Stanley Cup finals last season. It’s one thing to talk about it, another to feel it when you get there. I think those experiences will help a lot.