Paul Maurice sends captain Barkov a clear message after eliminating New York
The Florida Panthers beat the New York Rangers and advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals after the game head coach Paul Maurice had a message for his captain Aleksander Barkov.
After a hard-fought series, the Florida Panthers punched their ticket to a second straight Stanley Cup Finals. Former New York Rangers forward Vladimir Tarasenko would score the game-winning goal to clinch the series for the Panthers.
After the game, the Florida Panthers were presented with the Prince of Wales Trophy as the champions of the Eastern Conference. As Aleksander Barkov went to accept it he got a message from his coach Paul Maurice with strict instructions not to touch the trophy.
These instructions came after last season when the Florida Panthers did touch the trophy. They would then go on to lose the Stanley Cup Finals to the Vegas Golden Knights. Now the Florida Panthers are doing anything they can to make sure it ends differently.
Now the Panthers await their opponent from the Western Conference. The Edmonton Oilers lead that series 3-2 over the Dallas Stars with a chance to close it out tonight.
| POLL | ||
Will the Florida Panthers win the Stanley Cup after not touching the Prince of Wales Trophy? | ||
| Yes | 323 | 52.8 % |
| No | 289 | 47.2 % |
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