SUNRISE — Bill Zito didn’t do any significant celebrating after the Florida Panthers clinched their third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final. The hockey operations president and general manager got some food and went back to work.
At this point, no one around the team would expect anything different.
The franchise that could not win a playoff series for a quarter-century now is in the midst of a back-to-back-to-back run to the NHL’s championship round. Florida won 25 playoff games in its first 28 seasons combined; the Panthers have won 41 playoff games — and counting — over their most recent three seasons.
The novelty of winning at this time of year hasn’t worn off, but the Panthers have simply become used to it by now. The main thing — the Cup — is the main thing. That’s why after