The Florida Panthers captured their second straight Stanley Cup championship, defeating the Edmonton Oilers in six games. The Panthers needed one fewer game than their seven-game thriller victory last season.
Championship Numbers
Three teams have won back-to-back titles since the NHL salary cap era began in 2005. The Panthers join the Tampa Bay Lightning (2020-21) and Pittsburgh Penguins (2016-17).
The Panthers become the 19th team in league history to win consecutive Stanley Cups.
Five championships have gone to U.S. Sun Belt teams over the past six years. Florida teams have claimed four of those titles.
The Lightning, like the Panthers, made three straight final appearances during their championship run.
Canadian Drought Continues
It’s been 32 years since a Canadian team last won the Cup. The Montreal Canadiens claimed the title in 1993.
Edmonton became the eighth Canadian team to lose in the final since then.
Final Series Dominance
The Panthers outscored Edmonton 13-4 in first periods, creating a plus-9 differential. That margin ties the widest in Stanley Cup Final history.
Pittsburgh outscored the Minnesota North Stars by the same margin in 1991.
Goaltending History
Sergei Bobrovsky joins elite company as just the fourth goaltender since 1981-82 to win both a Vezina Trophy and two Stanley Cup rings.
He joins Hall of Famers Patrick Roy, Dominik Hasek and Martin Brodeur in that group.
Individual Achievements
Sam Bennett led all playoff players with 15 goals. Bennett is a pending unrestricted free agent.
Brad Marchand waited 14 years between Stanley Cup titles. He last won with Boston in 2011.
Only Chris Chelios (16 years, 1986-2002) and Mark Recchi (15 years, 1991-2006) had longer gaps between championships.
Corey Perry has now lost in the final five times over the past six years. Had Edmonton won, Perry would have had an 18-year gap between titles since winning with Anaheim in 2007.
The Panthers became just the second team in NHL history to have three players score five or more goals in the final. Bennett, Marchand and Sam Reinhart accomplished the feat.
The 1955 Red Wings were the only other team to do it, with Alex Delvecchio, Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay.
