The first finalist of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final has been confirmed — and it’s a familiar face. The relentless Florida Panthers are heading to the championship series for the third straight year, after dispatching the Carolina Hurricanes with a dramatic 5-3 win in Game 5 to seal a 4-1 series victory in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Things didn’t start smoothly for Florida. The home side, backed by a raucous Raleigh crowd, surged ahead with an early 2-0 lead thanks to a quickfire brace from Sebastian Aho. But as they’ve done so often in recent postseasons, the Panthers responded with trademark grit and firepower, storming back with five goals.

Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett, Sasha Barkov, and Sam Reinhart all registered two points apiece. A clutch third-period goal from Bennett ultimately put the game beyond reach for the Hurricanes, ending their title hopes for another season.

It marks a remarkable run for Florida, who fell to the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2023 Final (1–4) before lifting the Cup in 2024 with a thrilling Game 7 triumph over the Edmonton Oilers. A rematch could be on the cards again this year — Edmonton currently leads their Western Conference Final series against the Dallas Stars 3–1.

NHL – Stanley Cup Playoffs
Eastern Conference Final: Game 5

Carolina Hurricanes 3–5 Florida Panthers

Goals: 04:48 Aho (1–0), 18:54 Aho (2–0), 27:23 Tkachuk (2–1), 27:53 Rodrigues (2–2), 31:48 Lundell (2–3), 48:40 Jarvis (3–3), 54:45 Bennett (3–4), EN 59:03 Bennett (3–5)

Series result: Panthers win 4–1