The Florida Panthers celebrated with fans at the Elbo Room in Fort Lauderdale and took the Stanley Cup itself for a dip in the ocean. NBC6’s Ari Odzer reports
Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk took a dip in the Atlantic Ocean with the Stanley Cup Tuesday as the wild celebration continued after the Cats clinched the championship.
Tkachuk and fellow Panthers Aaron Ekblad, Sam Reinhart and others gathered at the Elbo Room in Fort Lauderdale with Cup in hand as fans surrounded the bar for a glimpse at hockey's ultimate prize.
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Beers were emptied into the Cup as friends and family joined the celebration, even pouring drinks out for fans from the balcony.
At one point, Tkachuk decided to take a quick dip in the ocean with the Cup.
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"I'm very lucky, the guys are such a great group of guys, we have a lot of fun on and off the ice," Tkachuk told NBC6.
The Elbo Room party was underway hours after the Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 in Game 7 to clinch the team's first Cup.
Tkachuk said he hadn't slept all night and didn't plan on sleeping anytime soon.
"Probably not for a couple days," he said.
He was also asked if he'd be shaving off his playoff beard.
"I am, I just haven't been home yet," he said.
The Panthers announced Tuesday that they'll be holding their championship parade on Sunday in Fort Lauderdale.
