Thousands of fans gathered at the Fort Lauderdale bar known as Elbo Room on Sunday morning to celebrate the Florida Panthers’ first Stanley Cup win in franchise history. Arriving early at 6:30, some fans were already there, but by 7:30, anyone arriving was considered late as the bar had reached full capacity by 9 a.m.
The event marked the end of a weeklong party for a team that many doubted would last in the NHL when it was established in 1993-94. Now, thirty-one years later, the Panthers can proudly say they hosted the best post-championship celebration in all of South Florida sports, surpassing even the Marlins and Heat, who last won a title in 1974.
Despite spending much of their history playing in relative obscurity, with fans often favoring more established franchises in the area, the recent success of the Panthers has led to increased support and recognition. This was particularly evident after reaching the Finals last year and winning the Stanley Cup this season.
The celebrations began with Panther forward Matthew Tkachuk bringing the Stanley Cup to Elbo Room, where it was showcased and even dipped in the Atlantic Ocean before being used as a pasta bowl by Panthers legend Robert Luongo. This event marked only the beginning of what promised to be an exciting day for South Florida sports.
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