Miami Heat Join Florida Panthers in South Florida Finals

The Florida Panthers and Miami Heat both won Game 7s in Boston this postseason — and both teams are headed to the Finals.

The Heat avoided becoming the first NBA team to lose a 3-0 series lead as it bounced back to smoke the Celtics 103-84 to advance to the NBA Finals for the seventh time in franchise history.

Miami will travel to Denver for Game 1 on Thursday night.

The Panthers, in the Stanley Cup Final for the second time and first time since 1996, will visit Las Vegas and the Golden Knights on Saturday night for Game 1.

This the first time the same metro area has teams in both the NHL and NBA finals since the Golden State Warriors and San Jose Sharks both lost in 2016.

The folks in Boston have to hate South Florida right now after the Panthers knocked out the top-seeded Bruins in 7.

Monday night, the Heat bounced the No. 2 Celtics after they rallied to win three straight heading into the decisive seventh game.

Both Miami and the Panthers were No. 8 seeds coming into these playoffs and now they are both Eastern Conference champions.

So, both South Florida teams are playing for it all — not long after the Miami Hurricanes and FAU Owls went to the Final Four?

Not too shabby.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW

We have some pretty cool stories coming up later this morning.

Patric Hornqvist may not be able to play for the Panthers right now, but he is doing everything he can to help this team reach that ultimate goal.

”I am happy, so glad we are in this position right now,’’ Hornqvist said. “To be through that journey, for me, is so special. I feel spoiled to be part of it one more time.”

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— The Panthers have another odd postgame ritual during these playoffs. It involves a rawhide dog chew. It is apparently not tasty, either.

— Now we know Pete DeBoer will be rooting for his longtime friend Paul Maurice in the Cup Final after the Stars got the boot from the Knights on Monday night.

— Is this too much time off for the Panthers?

— This has been a long time coming for Maurice as the first-year Panthers coach is in the Cup Final for the first time since losing in 5 to the Detroit Red Wings in 2002.

— The Panthers bandwagon is open for business. Plenty of room folks.

— The NBA on TNT crew have been talking up Tkachuk and, however they pronounced it, Sergei Bobrovsky for weeks now. On Saturday, Florida’s Chucky met basketball’s Chucky. The Florida TKing of Rebounds meets the Round Mound of Rebound.

— Sasha Barkov has been playing his whole career for this, mostly in the shadows. He is in the spotlight now.

— All the Panthers wanted to do was make the playoffs, knowing once you’re in, anything can happen. Just ask assistant coach Jamie Kompon. As Maurice said, “he has a ring coming out of the 8 hole.” The comparisons between the 2012 Los Angeles Kings and these Panthers are pretty striking.

There is a TON of video is up on the FHN YouTube Channel including Game 4 postgame reaction from Paul Maurice, Sergei Bobrovsky, Matthew Tkachuk, Anton Lundell, Sasha Barkov and Aaron Ekblad.

There will also be plenty of off-day video coming as we work our way through the week.

To see all the videos, you can click the embedded videos below or head directly to the FHN YouTube Channel RIGHT HERE to see everything all in one place.

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NHL NEWS/NATIONAL HOCKEY NOW

The Vegas Golden Knights are off to their second finals in their six-year history after beating the host Stars on Monday night.

Visit VegasHockeyNow for all of your coverage on the other team in the Final.

— The rebuild continues for the Chicago Blackhawks.

— The LA Kings are working hard this season and have some decisions to make on who will be joining them.

— Could former Boston GM Peter Chiarelli land in Pittsburgh? How about Toronto?

— Taking a look at who is in the running for the Pittsburgh Penguins GM job.

— The Washington Capitals coaching search continues.

FLORIDA PANTHERS ON DECK

THE 2023 STANLEY CUP FINAL

FLORIDA PANTHERS AT VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS

GAME 1

• When: Saturday, 8 p.m.
• Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
• TV: TNT
  
• Radio: WQAM 560-AM, WPOW 96.5 FM2, WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932
• Series Schedule — Game 1: Saturday at Vegas, 8 (TNT); Game 2: Monday June 5 at Vegas, 8 (TNT); Game 3: Thursday June 8 at Florida, 8 (TNT); Game 4: Saturday June 10 at Florida, 8 (TNT); Game 5*: Tuesday June 13 at Vegas, 8 (TNT); Game 6*: Friday June 16 at Florida, 8 (TNT); Game 7*: Monday June 19 at Vegas, 8 (TNT). * – If Necessary
• 2022-23 Regular Season Series Vs. Vegas (Even 1-1): @Vegas 4, Florida 2 (Jan. 12); @Florida 2, Vegas 1 (March 7)
• All-time Regular Season Series: vs. Vegas Golden Knights lead 6-3-1
• Postseason History: First meeting
• How They Got Here — Vegas: d. Winnipeg in 5, Edmonton in 6, Dallas in 6; Florida: d. Boston in 7, Toronto in 5, Carolina in 4.