The Florida Panthers held off a series comeback by the Edmonton Oilers, winning the final game 2-1 to win their first Stanley Cup.
The Panthers won the series 4-3 after the Oilers overcame a 3-0 deficit to score the winning goal, thanks to goals from Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Reinhart on either side of Mattias Janmark's goal.
Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 23 saves, but his biggest save was a diving stop on Zach Hyman in a scramble in front of the goal seven minutes into the game.
The Oilers were trying to become just the second team in history to win the Stanley Cup after losing 3-0 in the finals, and the first since the 1942 game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Detroit Red Wings.
They also lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 7 in the 2006 Finals. This marks the last time a Canadian team has won the Stanley Cup in 31 years, since the Montreal Canadiens in 1993.
Edmonton captain Connor McDavid was held scoreless for the second straight game but still scored 42 points and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff's most valuable player.
“I knew it was going to be a tough fight and it would ultimately come down to one thing,” he said.
“We were so close to being 2-1 up before they took the lead. It's a tough situation.”
The teams traded goals just over two minutes apart in the first period. Verhaeghe put the Panthers ahead with his first goal since opening the scoring in Game 1, but Janmark answered back with a breakaway goal for his second of the series and fourth of the postseason.
Reinhart gave Florida another decisive lead in the second period, seconds after the Oilers nearly scored on a fierce back-and-forth on both ends.
Edmonton dominated the third period, limiting the Panthers to just four shots, but couldn't tie the game despite multiple struggles in front of Florida's goal.
“I've been after it for a long time,” Florida coach Paul Maurice said, “and it's just the Florida Panthers way. Nothing is easy. Nothing is easy for us.”
“I've dreamed about it my whole life and now it's happened. It's unbelievable,” Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky said.
Advertising Content | Stream Sky Sports Now
NOW allows you to stream Sky Sports live with no contract with monthly or daily memberships, giving you instant access to live action including football, darts, cricket, Formula 1, tennis, golf, rugby league, rugby union and more.
