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The Panthers had to grapple with some incredibly inclement weather that interfered with their plans to fly to Edmonton on Wednesday, and an air traffic controller in Canada couldn’t resist the urge to tell them they’d encountered another issue while the plan was preparing to land while engaging in some good-natured trolling.
On Monday, the Florida Panthers took a 2-0 lead in their Stanely Cup Final showdown with the Edmonton Oilers with a 4-1 victory on home ice.
The losing squad headed up to Alberta on Tuesday, but the Panthers opted to take an extra day of rest before traveling, which was a somewhat questionable decision when you consider Florida has been gearing up for a rainstorm of biblical proportions for close to a week.
The team’s flight was scheduled to depart at 1 P.M. on Wednesday, but it (along with basically every other plane in the area) was forced to endure a three-hour delay before it was able to take off for the journey that came to an end when it landed in Edmonton at 8 P.M local time.
Based on a recording that surfaced after they arrived, someone manning the air traffic control tower at Edmonton International Airport was aware the Panthers were on the Delta charter that ferried them to Canada, as they jokingly informed the pilot he had “a two-hour hold for you or whatever it would take for you to be low enough on fuel that you’ll have to divert from Edmonton.”
NEW: Florida Panthers pilots were jokingly told by a Canadian air traffic controller to run low on fuel so the team wouldn’t be able land in Edmonton.
Pilots from other flights join in on the conversation.
(h/t @JOSE97LUIS) pic.twitter.com/IlbauIcVJM
— Andy Slater (@AndySlater) June 13, 2024
It appears the pilot didn’t understand the joke when you consider the air traffic controller told him to consult with the passengers on the flight before giving them clearance to land, although he noted it was “against my better judgment.”
The Panthers will have the chance to all but end the series if they’re able to take a 3-0 lead when they face off against the Oilers on Thursday night.