The Florida Panthers battled their biggest demons in Game 7 and came out with the Stanley Cup

This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.

Gooood morning, Winners! Welcome back to the Morning Win. Thanks so much for rocking with us today here at FTW. We appreciate you giving us a bit of your time.

What a Stanley Cup Final, man. I take back everything I said about this series when the Panthers were up 3-0. I called this one of the worst Final I’d ever seen. As it turns out, this one was pretty epic.

RELATED: 14 epic celebration photos from the Panthers’ Stanley Cup win

Game 7 completely lived up to its billing. Last night, we saw two teams scratching and clawing their way to glory on the ice between Edmonton and Florida.

This one was nip and tuck with Florida barely coming out on top 2-1. It didn’t have to be this way.

A miraculous blind save from Dmitry Kulikov kept the Panthers even with the Oilers on the attack. Then, literal seconds later, Sam Reinhart broke the tie with a goal of his own.

That wasn’t all. The Oilers had yet another opportunity to tie the game. Eventual Conn Smythe trophy winner Connor McDavid had the puck on his stick with Sergei Bobrovsky outside of the net in the third period. Yet, thanks to an unbelievable stick check from Gustav Forsling, a goal was saved. McDavid couldn’t knot things up at 2-2.

These two teams fought hard. This game was physical. Every inch on the ice mattered. Ultimately, Florida played the more physical game and wore Edmonton down. But it wasn’t for lack of effort on the Oilers’ part.

It’s no wonder both teams played so hard. Glory was there for the taking as both sides were trying to stave off decades of lowly history.

Edmonton carried the weight of an entire country on its back. Have you heard? Lord Stanley hasn’t touched Canadian soil in 31 years. The Oilers had a chance to change that with a win in Game 7. Connor McDavid is the NHL’s best, but he would’ve cemented himself as an all-timer had the Oilers pulled off the greatest comeback in NHL history.

For the Panthers, it wasn’t a country. It was the franchise’s own shameful history that it had to stare down.

Of course, Florida made the playoffs in each of the last five seasons. But check the previous 25 years — you’ll see the same number of playoff appearances as the last five. There’s only one Stanley Cup Final appearance and that’s from 1996.

Not only was this team not good — it was an embarrassment. People didn’t even come to the games. Season tickets were seven dollars at one point. That’s how bad things were.

And now look. That same franchise that couldn’t put butts in seats is now hoisting the Stanley Cup trophy. It’s incredible how these things go.

Now, the Panthers are champions. They don’t have to worry about that anymore. The stands are filled every night and the ice is covered by plastic rats.

Congrats, Florida. You deserve it.

The cold world of Track and Field

While the Panthers and Oilers were battling it out on the ice, U.S. Track and Field Olympic trials were underway.

One of the stars folks were looking forward to seeing in Paris was Athing Mu, the winner of the 800m in the 2020 Olympic Games. Unfortunately, she won’t be making it to Paris this year to defend her gold medal.

Mu stumbled about 200 meters into the women’s 800m, causing her to fall behind and completely out of the race. Meanwhile, Nia Akins (1:57.36) ran the fastest time of her life to lock in the win and solidify her spot in Paris. 

It’s tough, man. So tough. As Rai Benjamin said, it feels unfair because you know Mu is supposed to be there. She’s the absolute best at this. But the rules don’t change for anyone. Mu messed up. Unfortunately, these are the consequences.

That doesn’t take away the heartbreak, though. This shot of Mu’s devastation as she walks by Akins, Allie Wilson and Juliette Whittaker after they all qualified for Paris is just so painful to watch.

The direct camera contrast of Nia Akins, Allie Wilson and Juliette Whittaker’s joy, and Athing Mu’s devastation walking by them, is as REAL as Sports gets. pic.twitter.com/MBv8yDlhb6

— Andrew Jerell Jones, Luke 1:37 (IG:twdbk3) (@sluggahjells) June 25, 2024

Sports, man. It can be the best. But it can also be the worst in that same moment for someone else. What a tough way to go out.

Speaking of champions…

Tennessee won its first national championship in any sport in 15 years last night with the Vols staving off Texas A&M in Game 3 of the College World Series Final.

The Vols took a 6-1 lead early that included this incredible juke from Hunter Ensley. Tennessee needed every single run after a late rally from the Aggies in the 8th and 9th innings.

This is a huge win for Tennessee. Here’s Cory Woodroof with more:

“Per the school, the last time a Vols team won a championship was the women’s indoor track and field team in 2009, with the women’s basketball team winning back-to-back national titles in 2007 and 2008 under legend Pat Summitt.

For comparison, the men’s basketball team has never won a national championship and the football team hasn’t won one since 1998.

This is the Volunteers baseball team’s first-ever national title, making it even sweeter on Rocky Top for the national championship drought to finally end.”

I’m sure the Vols’ football fans hope they can keep the good vibes going.

Quick hits: Poor Corey Perry … An NBA Draft question for every team … and more

— Corey Perry’s awful Stanley Cup Final luck continues. Mary Clarke has more here.

— Here’s Robert Zeglinski with one question for every NBA team out there heading into the NBA Draft.

— Jayson Tatum and Matthew Tkachuk both sealed the deal with championships this season. Prince Grimes has more.

— Connor McDavid didn’t come out to accept the Conn Smythe award. Can’t blame him. Charles Curtis has more.

— JJ Redick says he didn’t talk to LeBron James about the Lakers’ job until he got an offer. Yeah, OK. Cory Woodroof has more.

— Here’s Meghan Hall with her latest WNBA Power Rankings.

That’s a wrap, folks. Thanks so much for rocking with us today. We appreciate you. Have a great day. Peace.

-Sykes