Following a 5-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, the Florida Panthers head home, guaranteed to make history — either by winning the franchise's first-ever championship or being the first team since World War II to blow a 3-0 lead in a NHL Final series.
Don't fail us now, Florida Panthers. All of South Florida is counting on you.
We need this more than most realize.
The landscape of South Florida sports is grimmer than many understand, with no apparent liferaft in sight outside of one game on Monday at Amerant Arena in Sunrise, where the Panthers can provide a much-needed moment of glory.
The Miami Marlins do not exist, for all intents and purposes. More people outside of Miami care about the local baseball team than those within it do. Sorry — those are just the facts. It's a sad reality that the Marlins' past management earned through years of deceit and the team's lack of competitiveness.
The Marlins are closer to leaving for Canada than delivering the City of Miami a championship parade. And honestly, we're not sure which one of these events would garner a bigger pots and pans celebration. It's that bad.
Meanwhile, the Miami Heat are clearly on the verge of a massive upheaval or wasted season in which they continue to lie to themselves about who they are. No person in their right mind can watch this past NBA season and believe the Heat can match up to the West, much less the champion Celtics.The Heat will be the biggest threat to Boston next season — UD pic.twitter.com/EgyDUiBbzr
— 𝙃𝙀𝘼𝙏 𝙉𝘼𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉 (@HeatvsHaters) June 21, 2024
Anyone who believes the Heat are on the path to a championship with the current setup, or anything close to it, deserves to endure another 86 games filled with .500 basketball and players skipping regular-season games to pace themselves.
The Miami Dolphins are on the brink of a do-or-die season with expectations greater than any since Dan Marino's reign. With no playoff wins in nearly a quarter-century, it's tough to believe they'll get over the hump and deliver their first Super Bowl win since 1974.
The Curse of the Tequesta does not miss. Going from zero to hero in the NFL playoffs this season would feel like a fever dream. The competition is just too fierce.
Then there are the Panthers. They've proven their tenacity and drive by making it to the Final two years in a row, and their roster is stacked with more than enough talent to lock up the Cup, without question. At this point, it feels the outcome hinges on whether they can shake off the mental weight of the Oilers' historic comeback, keep unforced errors in the neutral zone in check, and match the Oilers' energy out the gate.
Tonight, the Florida Panthers have a chance to make South Florida sports fans feel something other than the disappointment and pain they've felt across the Big Four sports since the Heat brought home a title eleven years ago.
And if the Panthers can't deliver a Game 7 win, it may be a long time until any other local team has a chance to plan a parade.
No pressure, Panthers.
