Panthers feel sting of loss but say they'll come back stronger - ESPN

LAS VEGAS — Even after a blowout loss in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, the Florida Panthers maintain they are on the verge of something big.

That sentiment was shared by several Florida players following their series-ending 9-3 defeat to the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday night at T-Mobile Arena.

«It's huge. There's no stopping now,» Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad said. «There's no stopping here. A bump in the road, and it's going to sting. It stings now. But we'll find a way to come back next year and be stronger because of it.»

For the Panthers, just winning Game 3 against the Golden Knights saw them go further than the 1995-96 team that became the first in franchise history to reach the Stanley Cup Final before being swept in four games.

Ekblad wasn't the only person who walked the line between the immediate disappointment of losing in a Stanley Cup Final and what appears to be a promising future.

Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who has been with the club for four seasons, talked about the progress that's been made over the past few years. He reflected on how last season's team became the first since that 1995-96 squad to win a playoff round before ultimately losing in the second round to the in-state rival Tampa Bay Lightning.

«This year, we won three rounds,» Bobrovsky said. «So, we're building. We are getting there, and we are excited. Next season, we're going to have another opportunity, and I am excited for that.»

Florida is expected to have 16 players who are at least under contract for next season. It's a group that includes core members Aleksander Barkov, Brandon Montour, Matthew Tkachuk, Bobrovsky and Ekblad. But there also are pending unrestricted free agents — Radko Gudas, Alex Lyon and Marc