The Florida Panthers captured their second consecutive Stanley Cup on Tuesday night, routing the Edmonton Oilers 5-1 in Game 6. Sam Reinhart delivered a historic performance, scoring four goals — the first hat trick in Panthers playoff history and tying the Stanley Cup Final record for most goals in a game.
Reinhart opened the scoring early and never let up, notching a goal in each period, including two into empty nets. He was assisted by standout captain Aleksander Barkov and teammates Carter Verhaeghe and Eetu Luostarinen. Matthew Tkachuk added a first-period goal to fuel Florida’s momentum.
Though Edmonton managed a late goal from Vasily Podkolzin, it was a night dominated by Florida. Sam Bennett, who finished with 15 postseason goals, earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
This year’s result eerily mirrored last season’s: Florida once again overcame a near-collapse and dashed Edmonton’s hopes. The Oilers, still stuck on five Stanley Cups, have not lifted the trophy since 1990, and Canada’s championship drought continues — now over three decades long.
With this victory, Florida becomes the 11th team in the expansion era to win back-to-back Cups. Head coach Paul Maurice made history as well, becoming the first coach across the NHL, NFL, NBA, and MLB to win multiple titles after 25 years without one.
Florida’s emergence as a powerhouse is undeniable. If they retain key free agents like Aaron Ekblad, Brad Marchand, and Bennett, the Panthers could chase a historic three-peat — something not seen in the NHL since the early 1980s.
