Matthew Tkachuk and Auston Matthews led the Florida Panthers in a ceremonial puck drop before Thursday night's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, celebrating their Olympic gold medal victory over Canada. Tkachuk presented a game puck to 101-year-old U.S. Army Air Corps veteran Jim Sileno, a poignant moment honoring a veteran. The Panthers won 5-1, capping a whirlwind week for Tkachuk who also attended the White House with teammates after winning gold in Milan.

Tkachuk reflected on the unique challenge of Olympic hockey compared to the Stanley Cup, calling it 'one-game elimination' that's incredibly hard. Seven Panthers players earned Olympic medals: Tkachuk (gold), Brad Marchand and Sam Reinhart (Canada silver), Sam Bennett (Canada silver), Anton Lundell, Niko Mikkola and Eetu Luostarinen (Finland bronze). The Canadian and Finnish players were honored during the first TV timeout, with Bennett acknowledging the disappointment of losing to the U.S. but praising their performance.