from Michael Russo of The Athletic,

Monday night on the east coast of this successful hockey state, the Panthers slayed the dragon by dispatching their cross-state rivals in a playoff series for the first time in franchise history.

The Panthers were Eastern Conference champions for the second time in franchise history last year, but even captain Aleksander Barkov and sidekick Matthew Tkachuk couldn’t recall their arena on the edge of the Everglades louder and more electric than it was during the final five minutes of Monday night’s 6-1, Game 5 victory.

Panthers fans, who until two years ago had to wait 26 years between series victories all the while watching Lightning fans fill the Ice Palace and celebrate their favorite team’s success over and over and over, understood the magnitude of ending the season for Kucherov, Hedman, Brayden Point, Andrei Vasilevskiy and perhaps the Lightning career of Stamkos.

This win, one that was so much tighter than the score would indicate until Barkov’s second goal of the game gave Florida a 3-1 lead at the 11:06 mark of the third period, was symbolic in so many ways. Remember, it was the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Panthers’ loss to the Lightning in the second round in 2022 that kickstarted the change to bring in Paul Maurice and acquire stars like Tkachuk....

“Tons of respect for what they’ve done and for all the players in the team that have won there and have had success,” Tkachuk said. “Just to be in a playoff series against your biggest rival is so cool and so much fun to begin with and then to come out on top and be a part of the team that was able to do that for the first time, it just makes it that much more special.”

Let’s be honest, as good as the Rangers have been by finishing with the best record in the NHL, as loaded up as the Hurricanes made themselves at the deadline, Florida may be the best team in the East.

First of all, they have last year’s experience of making it to the Final Two to always draw upon the rest of this postseason. That was obvious Monday when they took a 2-1 lead into the third period and were anything but tight under the most extreme pressure.

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