“Our fans buzz at home and we love that. It’s really exciting,” Aaron Ekblad said about how the fans never fail to rally behind the Florida Panthers when the team takes to the ice at the Amerant Bank Arena. Well, it could be even more thrilling when the Cats take on the Edmonton Oilers in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals in Miami, especially considering how the momentum is now with the defending champs. But it seems like the Florida loyalists will have something more to bring out their best cheerleading side on Monday.

The Panthers have now reached three straight Stanley Cup Finals. An incredible feat, irrespective of how their trip to the ultimate stage turns out this year. But the Florida staff is leaving no stone unturned to make sure that the 2024-25 campaign is made memorable. Lucky for the fans, that initiative by the team seems to have come bearing an unexpected gift.

A post by TSN’s Mark Masters on X from June 8 shared details of the special item that would greet the Florida Panthers fans at the Amerant Bank Arena at Game 3. Sharing images of the one-of-a-kind towels that await the home fans, Masters’ post reads, “Panthers rally towels for Game 3 declare that “Rats Rule”.”

The towels carry the pattern of the official mascot of the Florida Panthers, the rat. The NHL rodent looks to mean business. What’s more, the logo also carries interesting details, as a special nod to the journey that has gotten the Cats where they are now. “Look closely and you’ll see the logos of the three teams Florida has knocked out during this run,” Mark’s social media update winks.

On the left knee of the Florida Panthers’ rat, the Tampa Bay Lightning’s bolt could be spotted. The Bolts were decimated by the reigning Cup champs in Round 1. The logo of the team that fell to the Cats in Round 2, the Toronto Maple Leafs, can be seen on the right ear of the rat. And finally, the handle of the stick held by the mascot displayed the logo of the Carolina Hurricanes, who were subdued by Paul Maurice’s boys in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Definitely a neat little Florida Panthers memorabilia you’d want to keep in your possession. With the forecast foretelling rising temperatures (mid to high 80 degrees) in the coming days, the towel would surely come in handy when you hit the Miami beaches. Or maybe just keep it in mint condition. Who knows? However, while it’s up for the fans to decide what they’ll do with the piece of Cats memento, it remains to be seen if the towel comes with another thrilling win at home for the defending Cup champs.

The Florida Panthers are within an arms’ reach of going 2-for-2

The Florida Panthers have indeed come a long way this season. From finishing third in the Pacific Division to eliminating both the divisional top two in the first two rounds of the playoffs, the Panthers have looked every bit like the big-game team they’re known to be. Defeating the Metropolitan Division’s second seed, the Carolina Hurricanes gave Coach Maurice’s boys the ticket to their third consecutive Stanley Cup Finals, and the hopes of retaining the hockey silverware in Miami only grew stronger.

Then came the ultimate dance with the Oilers. In Game 1 of the Finals, Edmonton made the most of home ice advantage and wriggled out a 4-3 OT win. But the Florida Panthers made sure to put their fighting mentality on full display, and the Oilers’ coach Kris Knoblauch wasn’t pleased. Thankfully, the Cats got back to their winning ways in Game 2, thanks to Brad Marchand’s history-making OT goal at Rogers Place on Friday.

Now, it’s back to home base for the reigning champions, and it seems that the players couldn’t be happier about it. “Being in your own bed and a nice home cooked meal,” the Florida Panthers’ Sam Bennett said about why playing on home ice is always blissful. So, do you think the Cats can make use of the home fans rallying behind them when the puck drops on Monday? Or do you think the Oilers’ determination to get back at the Panthers for the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals heartbreak will prevail? Tell us below.