‘HOCKEY: Faster Than Ever’: Test your skills at new Florida Panthers-inspired exhibit in South Florida

At this point, South Florida has hockey fandom down to a science.

We’ve cheered on the Florida Panthers to historic back-to-back Stanley Cup championships over the last two seasons and flooded Fort Lauderdale’s beachfront — braving torrential downpours and extreme heat — for parades honoring the team’s hard-earned victories. There’s no doubt our interest in hockey has crescendoed to a roar louder than the last 10 seconds of a Stanley Cup Final Game 7.

But what do we know about the real science behind the sport?

That’s where a new exhibit at Fort Lauderdale’s Museum of Discovery and Science skates in.

“HOCKEY: Faster Than Ever,” 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 Montréal Science Centre and produced by Minnesota-based Flying Fish.

“As 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,” said Joseph P. Cox, the museum’s president and CEO. “MODS 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.”

He called hockey “a powerful example of science in action, from physics and engineering to health and teamwork.”

The accomplishments of the Florida Panthers “certainly made this moment even more exciting,” Cox said about bringing the exhibit to the museum. “Their 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.”

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.

Some players were even on-hand for the exhibit opening, with Barkov stepping up with giant scissors to cut the celebratory ribbon.

“[The players] were so nice,” said Delray Beach resident Audra Pankrez, who attended the opening with her two sons. “They were teaching some of the young kids how to hit a puck, signing autographs and taking tons of photos.

“I loved that this exhibit was a family exhibit,” she added. “My 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’re kids, so they thought it was kind of cool as well.”

Visitors can learn about the legacy of Lord Stanley’s Cup through an interactive touchscreen, or really get into the action. For example, guests can “test their reflexes by hitting as many lights as possible in 60 seconds,” Cox said, or “see how fast they can shoot three pucks against the clock.”

“Behind the scenes, guests can get up close with a real ice resurfacer and capture a photo moment … and discover how skates, sticks and protective gear evolved from the 19th century to today,” Cox said.

Off the ice, the Florida Panthers organization has partnered with the museum for nearly a decade, according to Cox.

“Most recently, we collaborated on a countywide library tour that brought the science of hockey directly to families,” he said. “During the exhibit’s 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.”

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. You’ll see commemorative pucks from the Panthers’ first home victory in Sunrise, a replica Stanley Cup, player bobbleheads and items celebrating the iconic “Rat Rally” tradition, Cox said.

“Together, these pieces trace the team’s journey from its early years to its back-to-back Stanley Cup championships,” he said.

And they show just how far South Florida has come when it comes to hockey.

“I’m really proud to be a part of South Florida hockey as the sport is growing here,” added hockey mom Pankrez. “Just 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.”

IF YOU GO

WHAT: “HOCKEY: Faster Than Ever”

WHEN: Through Sunday, May 3

WHERE: Museum of Discovery and Science, 401 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale

COST: Museum admission is $28 for adults, $26 for seniors older than 65, and $23 for children age 1-12

INFORMATION: mods.org

‘HOCKEY: Faster Than Ever’: Test your skills at new Florida Panthers-inspired exhibit in South Florida

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