Panthers defeat Maple Leafs in five games to reach first conference final since 1996
The Florida Panthers are going to the Eastern Conference Final.
Let those words wash over you for a moment.
The Florida Panthers…are going..to the Eastern Conference Final.
In one of the most improbable stories the Stanley Cup Playoffs have seen, the eighth-seed Panthers have completed a pair of postseason upsets and advanced to the conference final for the first time since 1996.
First it was a stunning defeat of the record-setting Boston Bruins, who set new NHL marks for wins and points in a regular season.
Florida trailed the Bruins 3-games-to-1 before winning three straight, including a Game 7 in overtime on the road.
Next the Panthers took down another Eastern Conference powerhouse, the Toronto Maple Leafs, in a stunning five-game series.
Florida will now face the Carolina Hurricanes, with the winner of the best-of-7 series advancing to the Stanley Cup Final.
Buckle up!