South Florida’s sports culture is a lively mix of years of athletic success, community involvement, and a strong love for competition. The Florida Panthers, under Paul Maurice’s coaching, have really ramped up their season-ticket sales and TV viewership. They’ve hit around 3 million viewers and have a fan base that’s estimated to be about 500,000 strong. But, you know, hockey is just one piece of this huge fan community. With big teams like the Miami Dolphins in the NFL, the Miami Heat in the NBA, and the Miami Marlins in the MLB, the area has really developed a lively sports scene that showcases its diverse culture.
The Miami Dolphins, founded back in 1966, really stand out in NFL history. They’re the only team to pull off a perfect season, going undefeated in 1972 and snagging the win in Super Bowl VII. The Miami Heat really showcase how basketball has grown in South Florida since they joined the NBA back in 1988. The team won three championships in 2006, 2012, and 2013, and during the time of the “Big Three” with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, they really captured national attention. This period helped to establish “Heat Culture” as a true symbol of resilience and excellence.
The Miami Marlins made their mark in baseball when they started playing in 1993, and they went on to win World Series titles in 1997 and 2003. The Panthers, who joined the NHL in 1993, have really put in the effort to grow hockey in a market that’s not your typical hockey town. As Florida are in for their second straight Stanley Cup victory chase, coach Paul Maurice takes a moment to think about how the team is changing the game in South Florida’s sports scene.
In a place where football, basketball, and baseball usually take the spotlight, Maurice highlights how crucial it is for the big sports teams in the area to work together instead of just competing against each other. “I think there’s room for all of us down here, certainly enough people. And I think that it’s a great thing that you have sports that are foundational—football, basketball, baseball, and then the new sport, hockey—and there’s room for everybody there. So how about we just share it? We share the spotlight,” Maurice said.
Instead of competing for the top spot, the Panthers’ coach is all about sharing the spotlight. He believes that working together can really help all the teams involved. This collaborative spirit is evident in the Panthers’ interactions with other local franchises, which Maurice revealed, stating, “Bill Zito, very involved with management, when I say involved, connected to the management of other sports. And it hasn’t been so much for the coaches, especially in basketball, because their seasons run concurrently. It’s 82 games. There’s not a lot of time for phone calls. But between the Dolphins and the Marlins, Bill’s been kind of involved. Best practices. I know that our team services people get together, right, to scout out the best of things when we travel. There’s room for everybody here.”
Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice keeps an eye on his team during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Jim Rassol)
The Panthers’ coach mentioned that GM Bill Zito has been interacting with the management teams from the Dolphins and Marlins to share some best practices, especially when it comes to team services and travel logistics. These partnerships are all about boosting how things run and creating a sense of togetherness among the sports teams in South Florida. With Maurice at the helm, the Panthers have really built a culture that establishes a clear standard. Their approach has really played a big role in their recent wins, especially that strong showing in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes.
A dominant showcase from Paul Maurice’s Florida Panthers
In Game 3 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs Eastern Conference Final, the Florida Panthers really showed up against the Carolina Hurricanes, winning decisively with a score of 6-2 and pulling ahead 3-0 in the series. The game kicked off with the Panthers jumping ahead early, thanks to defenseman Niko Mikkola finding the net in the first period. This marked the third straight game in the series where Florida got on the scoreboard first.
The Hurricanes came back in the second period with a goal from rookie Logan Stankoven, leveling the score at 1-1 and gearing up for an exciting final period. In the third period, the Panthers really turned up the heat, scoring five goals in just a little over nine minutes. Jesper Boqvist, filling in for the injured Sam Reinhart, kicked off the scoring frenzy, and then Mikkola added his second goal of the night. Captain Aleksander Barkov scored two goals and had an assist, and Brad Marchand chipped in with another, wrapping up a solid 6-2 lead.
Sergei Bobrovsky, the goaltender, really stepped up for the Panthers, making 23 saves and stopping the Hurricanes from getting back into the game. Even with Carolina trying hard, like switching to goalie Pyotr Kochetkov, they just couldn’t keep up with Florida’s nonstop offense. The Panthers are really close to making it to their third straight Stanley Cup Final, and they have a chance to wrap up the series in Game 4.
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