FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – It didn’t take long for the Florida Panthers to continue their championship celebration after the team’s 2-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 on Monday night.
Sky 10 flew over the scene of Elbo Room, located at 241 S. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., as Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk and centre Sam Bennett were seen partying with Panthers fans who packed the upper and lower deck of the bar on Tuesday morning.
Tkachuk was also able to bring Lord Stanley’s Cup and gave fans a chance to hoist the 132-year-old prestigious trophy.
He and Bennett also had some fun with a fan who asked them to douse him in beer poured straight from the Stanley Cup.
“I drank from it,” said Panthers fan Ian Schwartz. “I never thought in my lifetime I would ever see this.”
He spoke with Local 10 News’ Roy Ramos to reflect on the moment and shared what the last 24 hours have been like.
“It’s been a great night kind of rolling over, rolling into today. Great day. Fans are out and about and it’s been awesome interacting with them,” said Tkachuk. “Everybody is attracted to the Cup. It’s pretty awesome.”
“What role did the fans play in all of this and how important they were in this championship?” Local 10 News reporter Roy Ramos asked Tkachuk.
“They are very crucial, especially in Game 7 for us. Big game, obviously the biggest, one of the biggest in NHL history in the last 20 or so years. They were huge for us, they gave us so much momentum and were a huge reason why we were able to win,” Tkachuk said.
The crowd at Elbo Room got so large that police shut down a portion of A1A and Las Olas Boulevard.
Although Tuesday’s championship celebration started at Elbo Room, it certainly didn’t end there.
A Local 10 News crew was at the scene where Tkachuk took the Stanley Cup to the Atlantic Ocean and dumped it in the water.
Local 10 News reporter Roy Ramos also spoke with a Panthers fan named Katie who said she attended Monday night’s game and described the energy at Amerant Bank Arena.
“I decided like 20 minutes before the game that I needed to be there,” she said. “So I just hot-tailed it down to Sunrise and it was probably the most electric atmosphere I’ve ever been in my life. I didn’t know we could fit that many people in the stadium, but it was unreal!”
“There was no way they lose four straight,” Katie added. “Maybe that’s what they needed since they are the Cardiac Cats.”
Matthew Tkachuk and his brother Brady Tkachuk grew up playing mini-stick hockey in their basement as sons of NHL player Keith Tkachuk with one dream in mind: Win the Stanley Cup.
He was able to accomplish that feat after the Florida Panthers did so Monday night. The on-ice celebration became a family affair for the Tkachuk’s, who have combined to play more the 2,300 regular-season and playoff games in the league.
Panthers GM Bill Zito made the blockbuster trade for feisty Tkachuk, sending away 115-point scorer Jonathan Huberdeau and top defenseman MacKenzie Weegar. It was a move that paid off to help bring South Florida its eighth championship.
South Florida now joins Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, North Texas, Philadelphia, Washington and St. Louis as metropolitan areas with a championship in each of the four professional North American sports leagues.
The Panthers will now get to celebrate their first championship and host their first parade with all of their fans!
CLICK HERE for more information on the parade and how you can attend.
CLICK HERE to upload your fan photos/videos.