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Victor Petkov
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Panthers stop the freefall and lift Stanley Cup in Game 7
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Florida won 2-1 in Sunrise to escape historic humiliation, being 3-0 up in the final series

In a thrilling conclusion to the Stanley Cup Final, the Florida Panthers emerged victorious, securing their first-ever Stanley Cup title with a 2-1 Game 7 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Despite facing intense pressure after losing three consecutive games, the Panthers clinched the championship in Sunrise, Florida, ending a hard-fought series that had initially seen them take a commanding 3-0 lead.

Carter Verhaeghe played a crucial role in the decisive game, scoring one goal and assisting on Sam Reinhart’s second-period tally, which proved to be the Cup-winning goal. Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky delivered a stellar performance with 23 saves, including a crucial diving stop on Zach Hyman during a late-game scramble.

Mattias Janmark scored the lone goal for the Oilers, while goalie Stuart Skinner made 19 saves. Despite being held without a point in the last two games, Edmonton’s captain Connor McDavid was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP, having amassed an impressive 42 points throughout the postseason.

The Oilers were attempting to become only the second team in NHL history to overcome a 3-0 deficit in the Stanley Cup Final, a feat last achieved by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1942. This marks the second time in recent history that the Oilers have fallen short in a Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, the previous instance being in 2006 against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Edmonton’s loss also extends the drought for Canadian teams, who have not won the Stanley Cup since the Montreal Canadiens’ victory in 1993, making it 31 years since the trophy last went to a team from Canada.