Starting June 4 at 8pm EST, the Florida Panthers are back in the Stanley Cup Final, looking to defend their title against the Edmonton Oilers. Last NHL season, the Florida Panthers emerged victorious after a long-fought seven-game series against the Oilers. The Panthers jumped to a 3-0 series lead, but the Oilers fought back to tie the series at 3-3. In Game 7, the Panthers won, claiming their first championship.
The Stanley Cup has made its way to West Point twice. Last year, Panthers Owner and West Point graduate Vincent Viola ’77 brought the trophy, along with three other West Point grads in the Panthers front office: President & CEO, Alternate Governor Matthew Caldwell ’02, COO Bryce Hollweg ’08, and VP, Programming & Development Keith Fine ’08. The year before, Bill Foley ’67, owner of the Vegas Golden Knights, brought the Cup after that franchise’s first championship.
With a strong roster and the experience of winning the Cup, the Panthers are ready for another tough playoff run. As they face the Oilers once more, they are determined to prove their championship was no fluke.