The Stanley Cup got a fresh rinse in the Atlantic Ocean after the Florida Panthers brought home their first ever championship following their decisive Game 7 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Monday night.
Panthers stars Matthew Tkachuk, Aaron Ekbald and Sam Reinhart were all at the Elbo Room Beach Bar in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday with a giant herd of fans surrounding them to get a glimpse of hockey’s ultimate prize.
Beers were also poured into the Cup as fans continued to go crazy over their team’s clinch of its first ever Stanley Cup title in franchise history.
At one point during the beach outing, Tkachuk decided to go for a swim in the ocean and took the Cup with him in some sort of baptism, as shown in a viral clip posted on social media.
Panthers fans were screaming in delight as Tkachuk, Ekbald and Reinhart took turns to pose with the Cup in the turquoise looking ocean water.
Players of the Florida Panthers were surrounded by fans on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Tuesday as wild celebrations continued after the team’s first ever championship win, 24 hours earlier
After going for a dip in the ocean, Tkachuk, 26, kissed the Cup while holding it above his head
They also each posed with the piece of silverware above their heads before giving it a kiss while waves were coming to shore.
‘I’m very lucky, the guys are such a great group of guys, we have a lot of fun on and off the ice,’ Tkachuk, 26, told NBC6.
Florida’s star forward also promised to party with fans and his teammates throughout a summer that he and they will never forget.
‘Probably in a few days, it’s going to be the greatest party that’s probably happened down there in South Florida,’ he said.
‘I cannot wait.’
Of the 19 players who played for Florida in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday, only four were part of the organization before general manager Bill Zito arrived in September 2020.
The Panthers pose with the Stanley Cup trophy after defeating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7
Zito traded for Tkachuk – something that many in hockey said was a terrible move by Florida – two years ago, signed a slew of free agents, found guys on the waiver wire, whatever it took to fill a roster and make the cap math work.
The result: an end to the Panthers’ 26-year playoff series drought and a first Stanley Cup appearance since 1996.
‘It’s hard to put into words how humbling it is and how much respect you have for the game as a whole, especially for a guy who never played (in the NHL),’ Zito said.
‘So, pretty special.’
‘It’s so incredible,’ Tkachuk added. ‘The best thing that happened to me in hockey was coming down here. I’m so happy. … It’s kind of crazy what that Cup does. It attracts people. It’s the most attractive thing in the world.’
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