The Florida Panthers are heading to the Stanley Cup Finals for the third consecutive season after securing a 5-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Panthers overcame an early 2-0 deficit, initially set by two quick goals from Hurricanes' forward Sebastian Aho. However, the Panthers swiftly retaliated, taking a 3-2 lead by scoring three unanswered goals in the second period from Matthew Tkachuk, Evan Rodrigues, and Anton Lundell.

The Hurricanes equalized in the third period with a goal from Seth Jarvis, but Carter Verhaeghe responded promptly for Florida with what turned out to be the game-winning goal. In the final minute, Sam Bennett added an open-net goal to solidify the victory. The win marks a significant achievement for the Panthers, who enjoy the exhilaration of returning to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Historically, the Panthers experienced moments of success early in their franchise's existence but faced challenges over the past two decades. After their initial Stanley Cup Finals appearance in 1996, the team struggled to return until two seasons ago when they made a comeback only to be defeated by the Vegas Golden Knights. Last year, the Panthers triumphed in a hard-fought seven-game series against the Edmonton Oilers, claiming their first championship. As they look ahead to potentially securing another title, they must face either the Oilers or Dallas Stars in the finals, both formidable opponents. Yet for now, the Panthers can celebrate their third consecutive Eastern Conference Finals victory.