POMPANO BEACH, Fla. — It's officially NHL playoff season and the Florida Panthers are taking on their state rival, the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Cats fans who couldn't make it to the other coast still made sure the defending Stanley Cup Champions felt supported.
WATCH: WPTV reporter Kendall Hyde was at the watch party to speak to lifelong fans on their hopes for the playoffs
Seth Marcus is a lifelong Panthers fan and a Hollywood, Florida native. He will be staying up late to watch the team play.
"I've been following the Panthers since I was five," Marcus said. "Finally, we won it last year. Hopefully, we can win it again. That's the goal."
On top of being defending champions, the team is helping shape hockey culture in South Florida.
"I think hockey is such a great sport, I grew up playing roller hockey outdoors here," Panthers fan Daniel Rosenstrauch said. "It's very different than the ice, but it still got me excited about the sport, and hopefully, that continues with the next generation."
Die-hard fans filled up Bru's Room in Pompano Beach after buying their last-minute game gear. Anthony Rowell is a lifelong fan who believes another Stanley Cup Championship is in the Panthers' future.
"For the past five years, I've been going to every game in full gear, kitted out with helmets and gloves," Rowell said. "I think we added on some even better players than what we had last year, and I think we're a lock."
