Florida Overwhelms Maple Leafs in Game 7 Blowout to Reach East Final Again

TORONTO — The Florida Panthers aren’t done roaring.
With a relentless forecheck, contributions from up and down the lineup, and another cool, composed effort from Sergei Bobrovsky, the reigning Stanley Cup champions dismantled the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-1 in a dominant Game 7 performance Sunday night at Scotiabank Arena. The win sends Florida to its third consecutive Eastern Conference Final, where it will meet the Carolina Hurricanes beginning Tuesday in Raleigh.
From the opening puck drop, Florida dictated play. The Panthers pinned Toronto in its own zone and held the Leafs without a shot for over 11 minutes to start the game. Though the opening period ended scoreless, the tone was set.
In the second, Florida erupted.
Defenseman Seth Jones broke the deadlock just over three minutes into the period, jumping up in transition and rifling a shot over Joseph Woll’s blocker. Less than four minutes later, Anton Lundell cashed in on a rebound in the slot after a net-crashing play from Brad Marchand and Eetu Luostarinen. By the midpoint of the frame, the Panthers were up 3-0 after Jonah Gadjovich buried a slick cross-ice feed from A.J. Greer. Florida outshot Toronto 18-5 in the period, overwhelming the Leafs at every turn.
Max Domi gave the Leafs a brief flicker of hope with a goal early in the third, sneaking a shot through Bobrovsky’s legs. But just 47 seconds later, Luostarinen answered right back by tipping in a Marchand shot, snuffing out any chance of a comeback. Sam Reinhart made it 5-1 midway through the third on a clean finish off a faceoff win, and Marchand sealed the win with an empty-netter—his third point of the night.
Bobrovsky was sharp when called upon, stopping 20 of 21 shots and making key saves in the first when the game was still scoreless. The veteran netminder’s calm demeanor anchored Florida all series long, especially as they battled back from a 2-0 series deficit.
“We don’t question ‘Bob,'” said forward Anton Lundell. “He’s our wall. He gives us the confidence to play our game freely.”
For Toronto, it was a familiar heartbreak. The Leafs have now lost seven straight Game 7s. Despite the momentum of a shutout win in Game 6, they came out flat and disjointed in front of a home crowd desperate for a breakthrough.
“We just didn’t handle the pressure tonight,” coach Craig Berube admitted. “They were the more aggressive, more desperate team. We didn’t match that.”
The loss ended a series that saw Toronto blow a 2-0 lead and never fully recover after letting Game 3 slip away. For the Panthers, it was another chapter in their run as one of hockey’s most mentally tough and battle-tested teams. The additions of Marchand and Jones proved vital, not just for their skill, but for their poise and playoff pedigree.
“Going through it before, it’s invaluable,” Marchand said. “This group believes in the way we play, and we trust each other in big moments.”
Florida now turns its attention to a familiar foe. The Panthers swept Carolina in last year’s conference final, but this year’s Hurricanes are deeper and determined for revenge. Still, with the way Florida is playing—and with the confidence earned from years of deep playoff runs—they head to Raleigh looking every bit like a team ready to defend its crown.
“Everybody’s bought in,” Bobrovsky said. “And when that happens, anything’s possible.”

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