Oct 10, 2015; Sunrise, FL, USA; Florida Panthers fans watch before a game against the Philadelphia Flyers at BB&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

The Florida Panthers have the best attendance in the NHL. Facts only, everything real.

Shout-out to @lukevader79 for pointing it out, and yes it’s true! Courtesy of the trusty ESPN.com:

Stupendous.

The Panthers home opener was something to behold from a fan’s perspective. The energy in the building and the packed upper decks was something unseen since the 2012 playoffs against the New Jersey Devils. After years upon years of tough crowds, tough press, and rough teams, that Opening Night was a welcome reward for Panthers fans.

It strikes me as unwise to extrapolate off just one datum point, but I will — for now — choose to ignore the statistical laws. The numbers don’t lie. The Panthers managed to pack 114% of capacity into the BB&T Center, which is basically a fire hazard. Unlike other teams in New York, San Jose, Detroit, or Tampa Bay, who skated by with a mere 100% of capacity, the Florida Panthers decided to pack the house with more people than the arena defines as possible.

The Panthers play again tonight at home, so we’ll have to see what sort of crowd the team will draw midweek against the Buffalo Sabres. The smart money would say the 114% mark will decrease by some small amount, especially since there are plenty of cheap tickets available online as we speak. But it doesn’t matter. Nothing will take this moment away from Panthers fans, because on this day we were the best, and the numbers back it up.

This is our day in the sun. Let’s bask in the glow of the numbers before some Canadian wiseguys try to rain on our parade.