SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — The Florida Panthers often come to work in suits. Until further notice, They wear robes.

Let’s explain: The Stanley Cup champion Panthers received personalized bathrobes as gifts from the team for their two-game trip to Finland last week. They came to both matches there wearing robes. They won both matches.

Since the hockey series has never been interfered with, the dresses are still stylish. Every Panthers player walked into the arena on Thursday wearing their unbeaten caps. Florida beat Nashville 6-2.

“I think we’ll fight until our chance runs out,” Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk said.

So will the robes be worn again when the Panthers return to the ice on Saturday?

“There’s a very good chance,” Tkachuk said.

It was a spur of the moment idea Panthers will wear robes – a nod to Finland’s sauna culture – a nod to last week’s games in Tampere. The defending Stanley Cup champions decided to keep the new tradition alive during their morning skate on Thursday, with captain Aleksander Barkov posting a message in the team group chat telling them to wear robes to work.

“You have to be superstitious at some point, right?” said Barkov. “Even though it’s working for us, we’re going to keep doing it.”

Apparently some were skeptical and thought they were being pranked. Aaron Ekblad was only convinced after Tkachuk took a picture of him in his robe in his car on the way to the arena.

“Everyone thought they were being played a joke,” Tkachuk said. “Let me tell you, this is the most comfortable thing ever. It’s beautiful and we’re having fun with it. We are a very professional team when it comes to business. We come to the field and work. But it’s a very long year. You have to have fun.”

Panthers general manager and president of hockey operations Bill Zito said the bathrobe idea actually started with Lucy Tallas, wife of Florida goaltending coach Robb Tallas.

“We have to appreciate the truth; it was Lucy’s idea,” Zito said earlier this week.

Florida coach Paul Maurice loves anything that brings a team closer together, and the donning season for the Panthers seems to be something they all enjoy.

“These are the best who have nothing to do with anything other than the players,” said Maurice. “These are the best things that ever happened to you. It took some courage to walk into an NHL arena in a bathrobe, and I think that got them started on time.”

Maurice also bought a robe in Finland. However, he will come to work in a suit on Saturday, just like on Thursday.

“No one – no one – needs to see this,” Maurice said. “These good people pay too much to be subjected to these nightmares.”

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