Roberto Luongo Gets Love from CM Punk at WWE Raw in Sunrise

Florida Panthers Hall of Fame goalie Roberto Luongo said he had not been back at Amerant Bank Arena since Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final — but returned to the Sunrise arena Monday night for WWE Monday Night Raw.

During a backstage interview with WWE reporter Jackie Redmond, who also works for NHL Network and the NHL on TNT, Luongo said he got back into watching wrestling with his son Gianni.

During the interview, WWE star CM Punk jumped in and said, as a Chicago Blackhawks fan, he at one time did not like Luongo but was very happy he finally got his name on the Stanley Cup.

In 2011, Luongo and the Vancouver Canucks had a 3-0 lead on the Blackhawks in the opening round of the Western Conference playoffs but Chicago won three straight to force a Game 7.

Luongo made 31 saves in Game 7 as the Canucks won 2-1 in overtime to keep the Blackhawks from repeating as Stanley Cup champions.

Vancouver eventually went on to the 2011 Cup Final where it lost to Boston.

Luongo finally got his name on the Stanley Cup when his Panthers took a 3-0 lead on Edmonton in the Final — only to win 2-1 in Game 7.

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“I probably hated you back then because we were supposed to – and I say we like I was on the team, right? – we were supposed to repeat but, you know, we did okay,” CM Punk told Luongo.

“It’s really cool to see good people get their due. And your name’s on the Cup. Like, what does that feel like?”

Luongo, who is getting his day with the Cup on Wednesday and is taking it to his hometown of Montreal, said as part of the Florida front office, it just feels good to be a Stanley Cup champion.

“Something you spend your whole life working for, and, obviously I didn’t do it as a player, but I put in the work here in management,” Luongo said.

“The feelings are the same as when I played, right? The emotions of the game are the same whether you are on the ice or in the manager’s suit. There is a lot of work that goes into that.”

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CM Punk said he was happy to see someone like Luongo, who meant so much to so many hockey fans, get his due.

“It’s still, your name on the Cup,” he said. “It means you’re etched in history, you know? Like it’s eternal, and that’s super awesome. And I have a lot of friends in Vancouver who are huge Lu fans so it’s cool, I’m glad I’m here, I’m glad I got to say congrats in person and you’d better be cheering for me out there.”

Luongo seemed to enjoy his time ringside.

It is probably safe to say he will have more fun with the Stanley Cup on Wednesday.

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UP NEXT FOR THE FLORIDA PANTHERS

• NHL Free Agency: Opened July 1
• Nashville Predators Rookie Showcase: Sept. 13-16
• Florida Panthers Training Camp, Fort Lauderdale: Possible start Sept. 17-19
• Florida Panthers Preseason: Sept. 22-Oct. 5
• Florida Panthers Opening Night/Banner Unveiling: Oct. 8 vs. Bruins