Florida had a chance to sweep the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1998.
They couldn't finish the job in Game 4, though. And they couldn't finish it in Game 5 or 6, either.
Suddenly they found themselves on the precipice of the biggest choke in sports history, right up there with the 2003 New York Yankees and the 28-3 Atlanta Falcons.
However, the fourth time was the charm for the Panthers, who won their first Stanley Cup in franchise history by edging the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 in Game 7.
Series favorites are now 18-4 over the last 22 years and 11-2 over the last 13 years in the Stanley Cup Final. Florida is also the fifth straight favorite to win the series.
Meanwhile, Canada's Stanley Cup drought continues, as a team from the Great White North hasn't won the Cup since 1993 (Montreal Canadiens). The 31-season drought is the longest in league history by a wide margin, as the previous longest was just six years between 1936-41.
Florida — which was 20-1 to win the Cup heading into the season — showed moxie in finally putting the Oilers away. After the two teams exchanged goals in the first period only 2:17 apart, Florida withstood an Edmonton onslaught as the visitors carried play in the second. The Panthers eventually took a 2-1 lead late in the second period on a Sam Reinhart snipe with 4:49 remaining, which was pivotal considering their dominance when leading after two.
The Panthers had won 25 straight games when leading heading into the final period dating back to the regular season, and 18 straight over the past two postseasons. They were also 68-0-4 with a lead through two periods dating back to January 2023. History was also on the Panthers' side, as 13 of the 14 teams ahead entering the third period in Stanley Cup Game 7 history had emerged victorious.
True to form, Florida clamped down on defense over the final 20 minutes. They didn't give up an inch, and nothing was more indicative of this Panthers squad than holding the puck against the boards in a massive scrum as the final seconds ticked away.
Florida is favored to lift the Cup again next year while the Oilers have the fifth-best odds. Based on how this series went, virtually every NHL fan will immediately sign up for a rematch.
