The rat-throwing tradition dates back to the Panthers’ third season as an NHL franchise. Ahead of Florida’s home opener in 1995-96, forward Scott Mellanby spotted a rat running through the team’s locker room. Mellanby then took his stick and slapped the rat, sending it flying into a wall and killing it.

The Florida Panthers were an unstoppable force, and the Carolina Hurricanes were a very movable object. That was the story of Game 2 on Thursday night as the Panthers walloped the Hurricanes, 5-0, to take a 2-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference final.

The Florida Panthers dominated the Carolina Hurricanes from start to finish to take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

The Florida Panthers visit the Toronto Maple Leafs for Game 7 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series Sunday.

Carter Verhaeghe signed an eight-year extension after leading Florida with 11 goals in the 2024 postseason and 72 points in the regular season, following up that campaign with his fourth consecutive 20-goal season in 2024-25. Verhaeghe logged eight points (4-4-8) through two rounds in the 2025 postseason.

He certainly is enjoying life, both on and off the ice. The hope is that another Stanley Cup is on the horizon. Lion and Adalee already got to experience it once, with Gadjovich and wife Allison putting both of them inside the Cup as the Panthers celebrated the victory last June.

Chris Rooney was hurt 13 seconds into the second period when he caught an errant stick in the face during the Panthers-Maple Leafs game.

The four NHL teams still in contention for the Stanley Cup are a familiar mix of those who have been fighting for it the past few years.