Florida was in the opposite situation back in 1996, and that's led to a fun throwback

For many followers of the Florida Panthers, the run to the 1996 Stanley Cup Final will always hold a special place in their hearts.

Between the newness of the team and the improbability of the achievement, there was a lot that happened back in ’96 that hit you right in the feels.

Now this season, with the Panthers one win away from the franchise’s first Stanley Cup Championship, it’s brought us to an interesting full circle moment.

Before we get to that, there have been a few more interesting similarities between the ’96 run and this one.

Round 1 victory in five games after going up 3-0? Check.

Defeat the Boston Bruins? Check.

Win the second and third rounds despite falling behind in both series? Check.

Pick up two overtime wins on the way to the Stanley Cup Final? Check.

So yeah, a few similarities between the ’96 run and this one.

Of course, its when Florida reaches the Stanley Cup Final that the majority of the parallels cease.

We all know how things went down back then, scoring the first goal in Game 1 only to lose, getting absolutely manhandled in Game 2, then taking a lead in Game 3 on home ice only to squander it before the triple overtime heartbreaker in Game 4.

It doesn’t sound that dissimilar from last year’s Stanley Cup Final appearance, where a battered and bruised Panthers squad was dismantled by Vegas.

There is one thing that happened during the ’96 final that is popping up again this year.

It’s a big and interesting full-circle moment, to be honest.

When the Panthers fell behind three games to nothing in 1996 to the Colorado Avalanche, there was suddenly a lot of talk about the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs.

Why?

Because that Leafs squad is the only team to ever fall behind 0-3 in a Stanley Cup Final and come back to win the series.

For a couple of days in the mid-90s, that’s what Panthers fans could hang their hats on.

Now here we are, 28 years later, back in the Stanley Cup Final, and those 1942 Maple Leafs are back in the picture.

Last time it was the Panthers and their fans leaning on the extreme longshot repeat of history.

Now, nearly thirty years later, they’re on the right side of the odds.

See you for Game 4.

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