The Florida Panthers punched their ticket to the Eastern Conference Final in emphatic fashion Sunday night, routing the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-1 in Game 7 to take the series 4-3 and keep their Stanley Cup defense alive.
It was a complete dismantling by the defending champions, who erupted for three goals in a span of just 6:24 during the second period to break the game wide open. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky was rock-solid once again, making 19 saves as Florida silenced a raucous crowd and steamrolled into the next round.
The Panthers will now face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final, which opens Tuesday night in Raleigh.
After a scoreless first period, Florida opened the floodgates early in the second. Seth Jones struck first at 3:15, beating Toronto goalie Joseph Woll with a sharp-angle shot to the far post. Anton Lundell added another just over four minutes later, cleaning up a rebound in front to double the lead. Then, at 9:39, Jonah Gadjovich made it 3-0 by pouncing on yet another rebound as the Leafs’ defensive structure unraveled.
Toronto’s only answer came from Max Domi, who briefly gave the home fans hope by cutting the deficit to 3-1 at 2:07 of the third period with a shot through Bobrovsky’s legs. But Florida answered almost immediately — just 47 seconds later — when Eetu Luostarinen restored the three-goal cushion with a slick finish.
From there, the rout was on. Sam Reinhart made it 5-1 with a tally at 9:24, and Brad Marchand added an empty-netter to seal the 6-1 final. It was poetic for Marchand, who has now won five of his 13 Game 7 appearances against Toronto — the most Game 7s played by any active NHL player.
Florida’s offensive onslaught was powered by a well-rounded effort. Marchand, Luostarinen, and Aleksander Barkov each notched two assists. Meanwhile, Bobrovsky was a calming presence in net, allowing just one goal on 20 shots. His ability to shut the door throughout the second and third periods gave the Panthers the platform to overwhelm Toronto.
Woll, starting in his second career Game 7, stopped 28 shots but was under siege for most of the night behind a Maple Leafs team that seemed out of sync and unprepared for Florida’s relentless forecheck.
There was a brief moment of chaos 13 seconds into the second period when referee Chris Rooney was forced to leave the game after taking a stick to the face during a puck battle involving Florida’s Niko Mikkola. Garrett Rank stepped in to take over Rooney’s duties for the rest of the game.
Another Crushing Exit for the Maple Leafs, this Game 7 loss marked another chapter in a frustrating postseason history. After taking a 2-0 series lead with consecutive home wins, Toronto dropped three straight — including a 6-1 blowout in Game 5 that eerily resembled Sunday night’s collapse. Though they momentarily stayed alive with a 2-0 road win in Game 6, they were ultimately outclassed when it mattered most.
This marks just the second series win in 11 attempts during the Auston Matthews-Mitch Marner era. With Marner set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, the Leafs face a summer of uncertainty — and likely, major changes.
Up Next: Panthers vs. Hurricanes. With momentum clearly on their side, the Panthers head to Carolina to begin the Eastern Conference Final on Tuesday night. Florida, showing the same relentless identity that powered last season’s Cup run, appears poised to make another serious push for hockey’s ultimate prize.
