The Florida Panthers are heading to the Stanley Cup Finals for the third consecutive season after defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 5-3 in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Panthers overcame an early 2-0 deficit, with the Hurricanes initially taking the lead through two quick goals from Sebastian Aho. However, Florida quickly responded, scoring three goals in the second period from Matthew Tkachuk, Evan Rodrigues, and Anton Lundell to take a 3-2 lead.

In the third period, Carolina managed to equalize with a goal from Seth Jarvis. Yet, Carter Verhaeghe struck back shortly after, netting the go-ahead goal for the Panthers. A final open-net goal from Sam Bennett in the last minute clinched the victory, much to the delight of Panthers fans.

Historically, the Panthers experienced early success in their franchise's existence, reaching the Stanley Cup Finals in 1996, but faced challenges for much of the past two decades. Their recent return to the Finals came two years ago, where they were bested by the Vegas Golden Knights. They achieved their first championship title last year in a seven-game series against the Edmonton Oilers. As they prepare for the Finals, they will face either the Oilers or Dallas Stars, both formidable opponents, but can take pride in their third consecutive win in the Eastern Conference Finals.