MILAN — Florida Panthers fans have traveled thousands of miles to Milan to support their favorite NHL players competing in the Winter Games, as the tournament transitions from preliminary rounds to the high-stakes qualifying rounds.
Steve and Lisa Septoff made the journey from South Florida to witness what they call a "lifelong dream" of attending the games. The couple represents a growing number of hockey enthusiasts flocking to Milan as the tournament intensifies.
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"This has been a lifelong dream to go to the Olympics for us," Steve Septoff said. "Hockey is a big deal to us. The Panthers are a big deal to us. We've gone to the finals the last three years in a row."
The Septoffs have secured tickets for two quarterfinal games, marking the farthest they've ever traveled to support Panthers-affiliated players.
"They're a fun team to root for. I love the way Barky [Aleksander Barkov] sets the tone for the team. He's about family, teamwork, being together," Steve Septoff said.
Panthers fans are tracking five different countries with team connections, including Canada and Finland, which each have three Panthers players on their Olympic rosters. However, their ultimate loyalty lies with Team USA.
"We want (Brad) Marchand and (Sam) Bennet and 'Rein-o' [Sam Reinhart] to do well, but they should lose to us by one goal in the final game," Septoff said.
The fans expressed excitement about Team USA's gold medal prospects while maintaining their Panthers pride.
"We want to see the US win gold. This is all about the striving for gold this year, and I know they feel it, too. They're really exciting," Septoff said.
The men's hockey tournament resumes Tuesday with the first qualification games.
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