The Rats Return Tee

The Florida Panthers have had not one, but two rat incidents that have become a part of team lore. The first one happened in 1995 during the Panthers' playoff run to the Stanley Cup Finals.

During Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Philadelphia Flyers, Panthers forward Scott Mellanby killed a rat with his stick in the locker room before the game. Later that night, Mellanby went on to score two goals in the game, leading the Panthers to a victory and sparking what would become a tradition.

After Mellanby's heroics, Panthers fans began throwing plastic rats onto the ice following Panthers goals. The tradition quickly caught on, and soon the BB&T Center was filled with plastic rats during every home game. The Panthers went on to win the Eastern Conference Finals and advance to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in franchise history.

The rat tradition continued into the next season, but in 1996, during a game against the Calgary Flames, things took a strange turn. As Panthers forward Scott Levins scored a goal, a live rat scurried onto the ice, causing confusion and excitement among players and fans alike. The rat was eventually captured and removed from the ice, and the Panthers went on to win the game.

The rat incident of the 1990s became a defining moment for the Florida Panthers, representing the team's underdog spirit and passionate fan base. Today, the rat tradition lives on, with fans still throwing plastic rats onto the ice after Panthers goals, and the memories of those two rat incidents continue to inspire and unite Panthers fans around the world.