Panthers GM Bill Zito Hurled Water Bottle in Frustration At End of Loss to Oilers

Tim Capurso | Jun 19, 2024

Jun 7, 2024; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito speaks to reporters during media day in advance of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito couldn't hide his frustration after his team's 5-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday night at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fl that brought the series to 3-2 (Panthers).

Trailing by one goal with under two minutes remaining in the third period, the Panthers pulled goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky in a last-ditch effort to tie the game. However, Oilers star Connor McDavid, who had four points for a second consecutive game, scored the second of his two goals on the night in the empty net, effectively sealing the victory for Edmonton.

Moments after McDavid's goal, an angry Zito grabbed a water bottle and hurled in in frustration.

Panthers GM Bill Zito threw a water bottle after McDavid scored the ENG 😳 pic.twitter.com/3xMAEvtLdI

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) June 19, 2024

Zito has watched the Panthers' 3-0 series lead in the Stanley Cup Final evaporate, as Florida lost Game 4 8-1, then suffered Tuesday's loss.

To make matters worse, the Panthers have had no answers for McDavid, who is playing at a historically great level, and have been outscored 15-4 since the third period of Game 3.

Florida will need to start finding some answers for their own sake—and the sake of water bottles everywhere—when Game 6 begins on Friday night at 8 p.m. ET at Rogers Place.