![\"Mia](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tfl-l-mods-hockey-exhibit-2-013026.jpg\")
Mia Ekstrom, 11, of Plantation, takes a shot during an activity at the new \u201cHOCKEY: Faster Than Ever\u201d exhibit at the Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale. (Amy Beth Bennett\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\nAt this point, South Florida has hockey fandom down to a science.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve cheered on the Florida Panthers to historic back-to-back Stanley Cup championships over the last two seasons and flooded Fort Lauderdale\u2019s beachfront \u2014 braving torrential downpours and extreme heat \u2014 for parades honoring the team\u2019s hard-earned victories.\u00a0There\u2019s no doubt our interest in hockey has crescendoed to a roar louder than the last 10 seconds of a Stanley Cup Final Game 7.<\/p>\n
But what do we know about the real science behind the sport?<\/p>\n
That\u2019s where a new exhibit at Fort Lauderdale\u2019s Museum of Discovery and Science skates in.<\/p>\n
\u201cHOCKEY: Faster Than Ever,\u201d on display through May 3, puts visitors in the on-ice action with more than a dozen interactive and hands-on activities. It was developed by the Montr\u00e9al Science Centre and produced by Minnesota-based Flying Fish.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs the home of the two-time Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, South Florida is the perfect place to host an exhibit that celebrates both the sport and the science behind it,\u201d said Joseph P. Cox, the museum\u2019s president and CEO.\u00a0\u201cMODS has a long history of working with Flying Fish, a team known for creating highly interactive, hands-on exhibits that make complex ideas accessible and fun, and when this opportunity became available, it felt like a natural fit.\u201d<\/p>\n
He called hockey \u201ca powerful example of science in action, from physics and engineering to health and teamwork.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mia Ekstrom, 11, of Plantation, takes a shot during an activity at the new \u201cHOCKEY: Faster Than Ever\u201d exhibit at the Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale. (Amy Beth Bennett\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n
The accomplishments of the Florida Panthers \u201ccertainly made this moment even more exciting,\u201d Cox said about bringing the exhibit to the museum. \u201cTheir success reflects the skill, science, teamwork and perseverance that this exhibit explores, and it created a unique opportunity to connect a world-class traveling exhibit to a hometown team that has energized our entire community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Equipment and uniforms worn by team captain Aleksander Barkov and other players, including defenseman Seth Jones, alternate captain Matthew Tkachuk and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, are on display in a locker-room style experience.<\/p>\n
Some players were even on-hand for the exhibit opening, with Barkov stepping up with giant scissors to cut the celebratory ribbon.<\/p>\n
![\"Audra](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/TFL-L-WBOX-HOCKEY-EXHIBIT-0206-02.jpg\")
Mom and son Audra and Evan Pankrez met Florida Panthers player Jonah Gadjovich at the opening of the new hockey exhibit at the Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale. (Audra Pankrez\/Courtesy)<\/p>\n
\u201c[The players] were so nice,\u201d said Delray Beach resident Audra Pankrez, who attended the opening with her two sons. \u201cThey were teaching some of the young kids how to hit a puck, signing autographs and taking tons of photos.<\/p>\n
\u201cI loved that this exhibit was a family exhibit,\u201d she added. \u201cMy children really enjoyed looking at the history of hockey equipment, and were kind of grossed out finding out that they used to play with a frozen piece of [cow] dung as pucks. But they\u2019re kids, so they thought it was kind of cool as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Visitors can learn about the legacy of Lord Stanley\u2019s Cup through an interactive touchscreen, or really get into the action. For example, guests can \u201ctest their reflexes by hitting as many lights as possible in 60 seconds,\u201d Cox said, or \u201csee how fast they can shoot three pucks against the clock.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBehind the scenes, guests can get up close with a real ice resurfacer and capture a photo moment \u2026 and discover how skates, sticks and protective gear evolved from the 19th century to today,\u201d Cox said.<\/p>\n
![\"Florida](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/TFL-L-WBOX-HOCKEY-EXHIBIT-0206-01.jpg\")
Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov cuts the ribbon to debut the new hockey exhibit at Fort Lauderdale’s Museum of Discovery and Science. (Audra Pankrez\/Courtesy)<\/p>\n
Off the ice, the Florida Panthers organization has partnered with the museum for nearly a decade, according to Cox.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost recently, we collaborated on a countywide library tour that brought the science of hockey directly to families,\u201d he said. \u201cDuring the exhibit\u2019s run, the partnership continues with special on-site activations, including meet-and-greets with Stanley C. Panther or Viktor E. Ratt, street hockey skill sessions and other interactive experiences that bring the sport to life for guests.\u201d<\/p>\n
The museum put out a call out to Florida Panthers fans to contribute their memorabilia for a hometown display that also includes items shared by the team and on loan from the Huizenga Collection at History Fort Lauderdale.\u00a0You\u2019ll see commemorative pucks from the Panthers\u2019 first home victory in Sunrise, a replica Stanley Cup, player bobbleheads and items celebrating the iconic \u201cRat Rally\u201d tradition, Cox said.<\/p>\n
![\"Owen](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tfl-l-mods-hockey-exhibit-3-013026.jpg\")
Owen Watts, left, and Kari Yazejian play electronic air hockey, one of the activities within the new \u201cHOCKEY: Faster Than Ever\u201d exhibit. (Amy Beth Bennett\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n
\u201cTogether, these pieces trace the team\u2019s journey from its early years to its back-to-back Stanley Cup championships,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
And they show just how far South Florida has come when it comes to hockey.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really proud to be a part of South Florida hockey as the sport is growing here,\u201d added hockey mom Pankrez. \u201cJust two years ago, when my family and I took our picture with the Stanley Cup, I went to school and was telling everybody and they thought I meant Stanley drinking cups. Not any longer.\u201d<\/p>\n
IF YOU GO<\/p>\n
WHAT: \u201cHOCKEY: Faster Than Ever\u201d<\/p>\n
WHEN: Through Sunday, May 3<\/p>\n
WHERE: Museum of Discovery and Science, 401 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale<\/p>\n
COST: Museum admission is $28 for adults, $26 for seniors older than 65, and $23 for children age 1-12<\/p>\n
![\"Kids](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/tfl-l-mods-hockey-exhibit-1-013026.jpg\")
Kids react to Florida Panthers\u2019 mascot Viktor E. Ratt before the opening of the new \u201cHOCKEY: Faster Than Ever\u201d exhibit. (Amy Beth Bennett\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n