The greatest trophy in all of sports was baptized in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean on Tuesday.
The Florida Panthers, who won their first Stanley Cup title in franchise history by defeating the Edmonton Oilers 2–1 in Game 7 Monday, began celebrating the very same night—and as all good championship parties go, it leaked into the following morning.
On Tuesday morning, Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk was seen with the Stanley Cup alongside teammates at a beach in South Florida. Tkachuk hoisted the Stanley Cup above his head and sprinted into the ocean, plunging into the water and allowing Lord Stanley's Cup to float on the ocean's surface.
Legendary.
Winning Game 7 on Monday night was a franchise-altering moment for the Panthers, who fell short in the Stanley Cup Final last season. The 2–1 win also helped Florida avoid a historic collapse, as they held a 3–0 series lead over the Oilers before dropping the next three games, resulting in a Game 7.
The only team in NHL history to blow a 3–0 series lead in the Stanley Cup Final is the 1942 Detroit Red Wings, who lost four straight games to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In 24 games this postseason, Tkachuk tallied six goals and 16 assists for 22 points, enough to tie Aleksander Barkov for the team lead. Tkachuk registered one goal and two assists in the Stanley Cup Final.
As for the Stanley Cup itself? It might be a bit damp Tuesday, but the Panthers' championship celebration is just beginning.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Stanley Cup Takes Plunge Into Ocean During Panthers' Title Celebration.