The Florida Panthers eliminated the Toronto Maple Leafs in five games to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. One Panthers team store had an epic troll job following the series win.
After the Maple Leafs took down the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round, the fans celebrated a series win for the first time in nearly two decades. The fans chanted “We want Florida.”
Well, what do you think the Florida team store did? Put that right on a tee-shirt.
Even Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk took a playful jab at the Toronto fan base.
“I don’t think they want Florida that much anymore,” Tkachuk said. “I wasn’t hearing many of those after that game, and that might be the best part.”
Florida fans regularly mocked the chant after a win in the series. The Panthers fans themselves would chant “We want Florida” when they left the arena.
Two of the final four teams in the Stanley Cup Playoffs are in. The Florida Panthers will take on the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Currently, the Dallas Stars have a 3-2 series lead over the Seattle Kraken while the Vegas Golden Knights hold the same over the Edmonton Oilers.
Florida Panthers’ Josh Mahura takes puck to the face, leaks blood on ice
Florida Panthers defenseman Josh Mahura was involved in a scary on-ice incident during his team’s 3-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 2.
Mahura took a wrist shot to the face from Maple Leafs forward William Nylander in the second period. The 25-year-old left a pool of blood behind as he went down the tunnel and into the dressing room.
While Mahura appeared to be in a great deal of pain, it didn’t deter him from reentering the game. After getting stitched up in the dressing room, Mahura made his way back onto the ice for the third period.
Mahura logged 9:28 of ice time in Florida’s win, giving them a 2-0 series at the time. Mahura, who signed a one-year deal with Panthers this past offseason, is playing in his first playoff series.
After suiting up in 79 games over four seasons with the Anaheim Ducks, he featured in all 82 games for the Panthers during the 2022-23 regular season. He recorded a career-high four goals and 12 assists for 16 points to go along with a +17.
