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Panthers’ Sam Reinhart applauds ‘gamer’ Brad Marchand after winning Stanley Cup
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- Panthers’ Sam Reinhart applauds ‘gamer’ Brad Marchand after winning Stanley Cup
Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
The post Panthers' Sam Reinhart applauds 'gamer' Brad Marchand after winning Stanley Cup appeared first on ClutchPoints .
The Florida Panthers did what they do best on Tuesday night, suffocating the Edmonton Oilers in the biggest game of the series to win. the Stanley Cup Final. Just like in Game 5, the Panthers dominated Game 6 from start to finish and collected a 5-1 win to lift the Stanley Cup for the second consecutive season.
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The Sams were the stars for Florida. Sam Bennett won the Conn Smythe as the MVP of the postseason, but it was Sam Reinhart who stole the show on Tuesday night. Reinhart scored four goals, giving him seven for the series, to help slam the door shut on the Oilers and cement the championship.
The Panthers were also lifted in a big way by Brad Marchand , who was acquired by Florida at the trade deadline and had a monster playoffs. Marchand scored the game-winning goal in Game 2 in double overtime and came up big every time the Panthers needed him to.
After Game 6, Reinhart talked about Marchand and what he meant to the Panthers during his short stint there at the end of the season.
"He's just a gamer, he's so competitive," Reinhart said of the longtime Boston Bruin . "I've seen it ever since I came into the league, I think everyone's seen it. That's why he's got so much respect and people hate him so much. That's what he is, he's a competitor, he's a warrior. He was so motivated right from day one when he got here and that was infectious for our group."
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Marchand is a free agent this offseason along with Bennett, so the Panthers have some tough decisions coming up on the cap sheet. However, keeping the 37-year old around would be a huge boost, and he proved his value to the team just about every time they stepped on the ice this postseason.
Marchand notched 20 points in the playoffs and was one of the most productive offensive players in hockey throughout the biggest moments of this season. The move to trade for him will remain a historic trade in Florida history and will go down as one of the moments that altered this NHL season, helping to determine its champion.
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