In the decisive Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, with the score tied at 1-1, a pivotal moment unfolded when the puck teetered precariously in front of the empty Florida Panthers’ net, poised for an Edmonton Oilers player to seize the lead.
Dmitry Kulikov emerged as the unexpected hero.
Toppled by a collision with Dylan Holloway, Kulikov, in a desperate lunge, swiped the puck into the safety of the corner where Carter Verhaeghe pounced on it. Within moments, the Panthers capitalized on the turnover when Sam Reinhart rifled a shot from the right circle, propelling his team to a 2-1 lead—a goal that would ultimately clinch the Stanley Cup for the Panthers.
Reflecting on the moment, Kulikov admitted, “It all happened so quickly. The puck came loose, I saw it, felt the shove from behind, and just cleared it out. Then our guy picked it up, and we scored. Honestly, it was a blur.”
Few players could have scripted a more fitting chapter in Panthers history than Kulikov, who had been drafted by the team in 2009 and spent seven formative seasons with them, witnessing their transformation from NHL cellar-dwellers to playoff contenders in 2012 and 2016, before departing for Buffalo in a trade.
During his tenure, Kulikov played a pivotal role in mentoring key figures of the championship-winning team, namely Aaron Ekblad and Sasha Barkov, who had journeyed alongside him through the ups and downs of the franchise’s evolution.
After an eight-year absence, Kulikov returned as a free agent following the Panthers’ heartbreaking loss in the 2023 Stanley Cup Final. His decision was driven by a desire to return home and complete the unfinished business he had started years ago.
“It almost feels destined,” remarked Barkov. “He’s the one who came back and made the game-saving play that brought the Cup to the team that drafted him.”
Recalling his early days with Kulikov, Barkov added, “I was fortunate to play with him. He showed me the ropes when I first arrived in Florida. We shared a bond, spoke the same language. He’s an incredible person, and now he’s here, winning the Cup with us.”
When asked if he had foreseen this triumphant outcome during the Panthers’ lean years, Kulikov expressed unwavering faith in the team’s potential from the outset.
“I always believed this day would come,” Kulikov affirmed. “With the group of guys we have, the support of the fans, and the efforts of the organization—it was all leading up to this. I came back because I believed in this.”
In essence, Kulikov’s return and his decisive play in Game 7 encapsulated not just a moment of victory, but a testament to perseverance, loyalty, and the enduring spirit of a team and its players.
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