Just a few years removed from the Tampa Bay Lightning’s dominant run of three straight Stanley Cup Final appearances and back-to-back championships, the Panthers have done the same, beating the Edmonton Oilers 5-1 in Game 6 on Tuesday night in Sunrise.
Florida’s depth contributions proved to be the difference in the series. While Edmonton leaned heavily on superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the Panthers rolled four lines with relentless pressure.
Winning consistently in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and emerging as a championship-caliber team is no easy feat, and if it was every team would do it. The Lightning know this first hand.
Last summer, general manager Julien BriseBois aggressively addressed where the Lightning needed work, and overall they were a much more complete team, better both defensively and at 5-on-5. Still their postseason ended in a five-game loss to the Panthers.
BriseBois didn’t specify where moves would be made this year, but he doesn't feel the Lightning are too far off from where they need to be.
“Even with having a great hockey team, even with having a legitimate Stanley Cup-contending team year in and year out, most seasons will end in disappointment,” said BriseBois. “You need breaks along the way. But first, you need a really good hockey team, and we have a really good hockey team. And we’re going to have a really good hockey team again next year.”
Between the Lightning and Panthers, Florida has undoubtedly become a total hockey state.
Canada’s Stanley Cup drought stretched to 31 seasons and 32 years on Tuesday night, a milestone that goes all the way back to the Montreal Canadiens in 1993.
