The Florida Panthers have secured their spot in the Stanley Cup Finals for the third consecutive season after a decisive 5-3 victory against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Panthers' resilient performance was highlighted by overcoming an early 2-0 deficit, thanks in part to two quick goals from Sebastian Aho of the Hurricanes.

Florida quickly regained control, turning the tide in the second period with goals from Matthew Tkachuk, Evan Rodrigues, and Anton Lundell, which gave the Panthers a 3-2 lead. Although Carolina's Seth Jarvis managed to equalize in the third period, Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe responded promptly with a critical go-ahead goal. Sam Bennett then capped off the victory with an open-net goal in the final minute, ensuring Florida's path to the finals.

The success marks a pivotal moment for the Panthers, who have experienced a mixture of early triumphs and recent struggles since their franchise inception. Following their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance in 1996, Florida had a long wait to return to this prestigious stage, achieving it again two years ago but falling to the Vegas Golden Knights. The Panthers finally clinched their first championship last season against the Edmonton Oilers in a hard-fought seven-game series. As they prepare for the upcoming finals, they now face a challenging matchup against either the Oilers or the Dallas Stars, both of whom boast talented rosters.