With an 18th sellout of the season expected for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals on Saturday night, when the Panthers host the Rangers, Florida has already lured more fans to its rink this year than in any other in the team\'s 30-season history. And the team\'s ticket revenue has climbed 50% from where it was just two years ago, according to data shared with The Associated Press.
\"If you win and you build a good program, you create an expanded fan base that isn\'t necessarily then going to fluctuate with wins and losses all the time,\" Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. \"You have to, over time, play an exciting game of hockey. But I\'d like to feel that we\'re part of something with deep enough roots that we would be considered a model franchise.\"
Via espn.com