Florida Panthers Fans Boo Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid After Conn Smythe Win
Florida Panthers fans are hysterical over a ‘snub’ at the Stanley Cup final!
The newly crowned 2024 NHL champions won their first-ever title for the franchise on Monday, defeating the Oilers, 2-1.
Most importantly, the Panthers held off a comeback effort by the Oilers, who forced Game 7 after being down 3-1, ready to flip the narrative on Paul Maurice's Panthers.
Florida finished the job and the Conn Smythe award for best NHL player of Stanley Cup playoffs seemed destined for Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. He tallied 23 saves to secure the Game 7 win and is admired as a veteran on the team.
The broadcast noted that Bobrovsky was the fourth goalie ever to give up a goal or fewer in each of the series-clinching games this postseason.
But to the surprise of everyone at Amerant Bank Arena, the Conn Smythe honors were given to Edmonton's Connor McDavid.
The home crowd chanted Bobrovsky's name as the Conn Smythe award waited for McDavid.
The Oilers star did not appear on the ice to accept the award. Fans booed the pick, protesting a player on the losing team winning the Conn Smythe. He became the sixth player to win the Conn Smythe as part of the losing team in the Stanley Cup final.
(Did Connor McDavid deserve the Conn Smythe? Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com)
Did McDavid make his case for the trophy?
Certainly, especially after scoring eight goals between Games 4 and 5 to fuel Edmonton's comeback efforts and putting up 34 assists, eight goals and 42 points this postseason.
Edmonton survived Game 6 with a 5-1 win, one in which McDavid went without a score. He also went scoreless in Game 7.
SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 24: Oliver Ekman-Larsson #91 of the Florida Panthers shakes hands with Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers after Florida's 2-1 victory in Game Seven of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena on June 24, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 24: Sergei Bobrovsky #72 of the Florida Panthers lifts the Stanley Cup after Florida's 2-1 victory against the Edmonton Oilers in Game Seven of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena on June 24, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Florida has bragging rights as the best hockey team, but they are now left to wonder if one of their own got snubbed out of the Conn Smythe.
It was all or nothing in Monday night's game. Edmonton had an opportunity to complete the comeback and win its first championship as a Canadian team since Montreal's win in 1993.
Florida had the opportunity to gift its city their first hockey championship ever, playing at home in Sunrise (FL.).
It was a historic ‘backs against the wall’ moment for Florida, who had a number of guys long overdue for a championship, like Bobrovsky and Kyle Okposo. The latter was playing in his 1,092nd game on Monday.
Florida opened up the scoring in the first period. Evan Rodrigues hit a shot that bounced into the net, off the tip of Carter Verhaeghe's stick in a ricochet that scored for the Panthers.
Mattias Janmark quickly responded for the Edmonton Oilers minutes later, tying up the score with a goal minutes after Verhaeghe's score, off a nice feed by Cody Ceci.
SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 24: Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky #72 of the Florida Panthers and Zach Hyman #18 of the Edmonton Oilers watch the play of Evan Bouchard #2 of the Edmonton Oilers at the point during the second period of Game Seven of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena on June 24, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)
Janmark's score was the fifth goal scored by the Oilers on a breakaway against Sergei Bobrovsky in this series.
Florida's top-paid star Sam Reinhart played dormant for the series, that is until Game 7 when he gave Florida the go-ahead score in the second period. He snapped an eight-game scoreless streak to put the Panthers up, 2-1.
The Panthers felt stiffed when officials called a tripping penalty on Matthew Tkachuk but they overcame the fuss and locked in defensively for the third period.
After the win, Panthers coach Paul Maurice rallied the home crowd on Monday as he hoisted the trophy over his head, closing out an incredible postseason.
OutKick hockey expert Matt Reigle reacted to the triumphant coach's moment: "If you aren’t happy seeing Paul Maurice hoist the Cup you’re probably a Lightning or Oilers fan."
Congrats to Florida!
SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 24: Head coach Paul Maurice of the Florida Panthers and head coach Kris Knoblauch of the Edmonton Oilers shake hands after Florida's 2-1 victory in Game Seven of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena on June 24, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
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