Stanley Cup runneth over at Elbo Room: Florida Panthers bring the after-party to Fort Lauderdale beach
Hours after the Florida Panthers won their first Stanley Cup, the 132-year-old trophy got a proper Fort Lauderdale welcome: After-party at Matthew Tkachuk’s house, filling up on early-morning beers with a few hundred new friends at the landmark Elbo Room, then a celebratory flop in the Atlantic Ocean.
The impromptu Tuesday morning party at the iconic corner of Las Olas and State Road A1A began before 8 a.m. when ringleader Tkachuk decided to bring the Cup to one of his favorite bars, where he was joined on the second-floor balcony by Panthers stars Sam Bennett, Aaron Eckblad, Brandon Montour, Gustav Forsling, Anthony Stolarz and others.
After partying in anonymity for some time, word got out on social media and a boisterous crowd of fans continued to grow outside the Elbo Room, numbering around 300 to 400 by noon.
A chorus of “We Are the Champions” was interrupted by the chant: “We want beer!” Tkachuk happily obliged, raising the Cup and slopping its chilly contents (Bud Light and Michelob Ultra) over the railing onto open-mouthed fans below.
The decision to extend the after-party to the Elbo Room was a late-night, spur-of-the-moment idea, Tkachuk said. But the location was a no-brainer.
“I come here a lot,” Tkachuk said, smiling. “I have not necessarily gone to bed yet, but it’s all good. I’m a little tired, but I got my second wind, so I’m ready to go.”
Moments later, Tkachuk hoisted the 35-pound chalice over his head and led a couple hundred fans on a march across A1A onto the beach. Tkachuk, Bennett and other players carried the trophy into the ocean, baptized it in water and gave it a celebratory hoist overhead, drawing cheers from the crowd.
“I wondered whether I would ever see this day,” Jimmy Porcaro, 70, of Fort Lauderdale, said with some emotion. “I’ve been a fan since the beginning. I thought the (Stanley Cup) might not happen for me.”
Across town, Panthers fans flocked to the Baptist Health IcePlex on Tuesday for a chance to snag limited-edition merchandise to rep their newly crowned champions.
“We’re psyched,” Barbara LoMoriello said. “Just psyched up.”
For Kathy Dorsey, a Miami native who’s been following the team since they played at the Miami Arena, jumping back on the Panther train was a no-brainer.
“We’re ride-or-die and stayed with them when it got dicey,” Dorsey said. “When Game 7 happened and we won, I had to get a T-shirt.”
Nearby, Mayor Dean Trantalis met with reporters outside the IcePlex, where he had watched the “nail-biter” of a game Monday night with hundreds of fans.
“I’ve never seen a more excited, hooting-hollering crowd,” he said.
Trantalis said the Panthers will host a championship parade Sunday on Fort Lauderdale beach, beginning at 11 a.m. at Riomar Street and ending at Las Olas Oceanside Park, across from the Elbo Room.
“Fort Lauderdale is already on the map,” Trantalis said. “We’re a year-round destination and this just adds to it.”
Staff writers Rafael Olmeda, Susannah Bryan and Lauren Ferrer contributed to this report.