All of it comes right down to this for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Florida Panthers. Sunday’s sport marks the conclusion of a wild curler coaster of a sequence that included two wins to start out for Toronto, then three straight for Florida, adopted by a hard-fought win in Recreation 6 by Toronto that offered yet another matchup.
Who strikes on to face the Carolina Hurricanes within the Jap Convention finals? Who begins their offseason trip a bit sooner than they’d hoped?
Learn on for a sport preview with statistical insights from ESPN Analysis, a roundtable debate with key gamers in Recreation 7 and ultimate rating picks, a recap of what went down in Saturday’s sport and the three stars of Saturday from Arda Öcal.
Matchup notes
Florida Panthers at Toronto Maple Leafs
Recreation 7 | 7:30 p.m. ET | TNT
The Maple Leafs have misplaced six straight Recreation 7s and are 12-15 all-time in Recreation 7s. The Panthers are 3-1 all-time in Recreation 7s, together with a win in final yr’s Stanley Cup Closing.
Auston Matthews’ first aim in 11 profession postseason video games towards the Panthers got here at an vital time, technically serving because the game-winner of Recreation 6. He turned the second Maple Leafs captain in historical past to attain the profitable aim in a contest when going through elimination, becoming a member of Darryl Sittler in 1976.
Teammate Mitch Marner assisted on Matthews’ aim and is the second participant in Toronto franchise historical past with 50 playoff assists — Doug Gilmour has 60.
Joseph Woll had his first profession playoff shutout, turning into the primary Leafs goaltender to register a shutout when going through elimination since Curtis Joseph within the 2002 Jap Convention finals.
Florida’s Brad Marchand will seem in his thirteenth profession Recreation 7, which will likely be most amongst energetic gamers. He is the fifth all-time to hit that benchmark, becoming a member of Scott Stevens (13), Patrick Roy (13) and his former Bruins teammates Patrice Bergeron (14) and Zdeno Chara (14).
Sergei Bobrovsky has a 2-0 profession document in Recreation 7s, together with final yr’s Cup finals win over Edmonton. He’s seeking to be a part of a bunch of eight goaltenders who’ve gained their first three Recreation 7s.
Who’s the one key participant you may be watching?
Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporter: Joseph Woll. There are just a few causes right here. It begins with the plain: whether or not he can replicate what he did in Recreation 6, or a minimum of carry a number of components of that efficiency over into Recreation 7. One more reason stems from the dialog round tandem goaltenders, and the necessity for depth at that place. We’re so used to seeing groups have one major possibility in web who’s anticipated to play each second. However this postseason has proven the worth of getting a minimum of two — if not three — goalies who may be trusted. Woll getting a Recreation 7 victory would additional emphasize that actuality.
Victoria Matiash, NHL analyst: William Nylander. The most efficient participant for the Leafs this playoff run, Nylander has been scoresheet-silent this previous week. After posting six targets and 9 assists by way of 9 video games towards Ottawa and Florida, Toronto’s most dynamic performer all common season lengthy has posted an egg in three straight.
If one of many coolest cucumbers within the sport manages to interrupt unfastened and rifle one previous Bobrovsky, he’ll give his aspect a good chance to clear a hurdle not loved by Leafs followers for a lot of, a few years.
Arda Öcal, NHL broadcaster: Auston Matthews. The Leafs captain scored his first profession playoff aim towards the Panthers in Recreation 6, which was additionally his first profession aim past the primary spherical of the playoffs. We hear it on a regular basis: The superstars want to point out up and present out when it issues probably the most. He received it performed in Recreation 6. Can he do the identical on Sunday when it is winner takes all?
Kristen Shilton, NHL reporter: Mitch Marner. Now that Matthews received the monkey off his again with that crucial aim in Recreation 6, it is time for Marner to have his personal series-defining second in Recreation 7. Marner had 4 factors within the Leafs’ first three video games towards Florida, however he has registered only one help since then. And after that ill-fated spin-o-rama turnover transfer Marner pulled within the Recreation 5 debacle, that is his alternative for a bit redemption on house ice, too.
Marner is, like Matthews, among the many most criticized gamers within the league for poor postseason performances when it issues most. Properly, the stakes have by no means been greater. It is now or by no means for Marner to place his mark on this one.
Greg Wyshynski, NHL reporter: Brad Marchand. Even in a second of pure elation — a Recreation 6 victory on the street, together with your two most maligned gamers combining for the profitable aim — the prevailing thought amongst Maple Leafs followers is whether or not that is simply one other mechanism to ultimately ship most anguish. Marchand powering the Panthers to a Recreation 7 victory on Toronto’s house ice can be most anguish.
It needs to be Marchand who twists the dagger. He has a 4-0 document towards Toronto in Recreation 7s, all with the Boston Bruins, and might grow to be the primary participant in NHL historical past to defeat the identical opponent in a minimum of 5 winner-take-all video games. Think about that the Leafs needed to commerce for Marchand earlier than he selected Florida as his deadline vacation spot, and now we’re speaking an ironic stage of ache. Brad Marchand being the explanation that the Panthers win this Recreation 7 would cement his standing because the Toronto Maple Leafs’ biggest tormentor — maybe second solely to themselves.
The ultimate rating will likely be _____.
Clark: 4-3 Panthers in OT. Take into consideration how this present iteration of the Panthers actually began making its mark. It was that Recreation 7 win towards the Boston Bruins again in 2023 that set the stage for the Panthers to grow to be one of many NHL’s preeminent powers.
They’ve proven a consolation stage with taking part in in Recreation 7s, which was the case final season once they gained the primary Stanley Cup in crew historical past. Tapping into that have in Recreation 7 might be the distinction between a 3rd consecutive Jap Convention finals look or beginning their offseason sooner than they want.
Matiash: 4-2 Maple Leafs. By no means thoughts the Leafs’ miserable dropping document in Recreation 7s with the Core 4 in motion. Disregard Paul Maurice’s impeccable historical past in carbon-copy important winner-take-all contests. Losers are solely losers till they win.
If Toronto adheres to Berube’s system, makes use of its benefit in pace, counters Florida’s physicality moderately sufficient, and does not commit ridiculous infractions — foolish penalties, dumb giveaways — they will lastly flip the script on what’s been a drained and gloomy narrative in a city that is craved higher for a lot too lengthy. If this central crew of bona fide stars actually desires to maintain the elite band collectively for years forward, this victory is crucial. Marner scores the empty-netter to seal it.
Öcal: 3-1 Leafs. This is how I see it going: Toronto will get the primary aim within the first interval from Marner, then weathers the Cats’ onslaught within the second. Marchand scores early for Florida within the third, adopted by a John Tavares fast response, then Auston Matthews pots house the empty-netter. The Leafs head to the Jap Convention finals for the primary time since 2002. After which 300,000 folks have a good time this second-round victory at Nathan Phillips Sq..
Shilton: 3-2 Leafs in OT. If not now … when? Toronto is aware of precisely what to do as a way to shut Florida down. It will not be straightforward. Paul Maurice is 5-0 in Recreation 7s. The Panthers know win large video games. However the blueprint to beating them can also be there for the Leafs to execute.
Joseph Woll was at his greatest in Recreation 6. Toronto’s prime line received rolling. The Leafs look stout defensively, and there is a collective effort there that is been missing earlier than. This opportunity to achieve a convention finals for the primary time for the reason that early 2000s is simply too good to let slip away and for as soon as, Toronto will not let it. And that final look in 2002 got here off a Recreation 7 win over Ottawa — with an opportunity to play Carolina. Coincidence? Possibly not!
Wyshynski: 2-1 Panthers. Auston Matthews has been eradicated from the playoffs eight occasions. Three of the previous 4 eliminations had been by one aim, with two of the video games going to time beyond regulation. That is to say that even once they fall quick, these Leafs normally do not exit with an effort like their Recreation 5 embarrassment at house.
However they may exit. Florida simply has too many guys which have performed this earlier than. Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Reinhart have been large in Recreation 7s. Sergei Bobrovsky is 2-0 in them. One other crew could be rattled by squandering an opportunity to shut out their opponents. Florida squandered it 3 times within the Stanley Cup Closing final season towards Connor McDavid — and nonetheless pulled it collectively to win the Cup in Recreation 7. The Panthers win, the Leafs end the sequence valiantly and one other offseason of crucial selections begins in Toronto.
Öcal’s three stars from Saturday
Upon listening to of the surprising dying of Winnipeg ahead Mark Scheifele’s father, the Stars’ fan base mobilized on-line and commenced a marketing campaign to donate $55 (Scheifele’s jersey quantity) to charities that the veteran helps. Add that to the record of explanation why hockey followers are the perfect.
The time beyond regulation hero that sends Dallas to the Western Convention finals for the third straight yr — a rematch from 2024 towards the Edmonton Oilers. Harley turned the fourth defenseman in franchise historical past to attain an OT winner within the playoffs, becoming a member of John Klingberg (2019), Mattias Norstrom (2008) and Paul Cavallini (1994).
Scheifele had an unbelievable sport, together with the opening aim, hours after discovering out his father had handed away. It was Scheifele’s first street playoff aim prior to now 13 video games.
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Mark Scheifele strikes first for Winnipeg
Mark Scheifele scores the opening aim of the sport for Winnipeg only a day after his father’s dying.
Saturday’s recap
Dallas Stars 2, Winnipeg Jets 1 (OT)
DAL wins 4-2, performs EDM in convention finals
A number of video games of this sequence ended with multi-goal victories. That was not the case on Saturday, as these two heavyweights performed a decent contest that will ultimately go to OT. Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele scored the sport’s opening aim 5:28 into the second interval (the day after his father unexpectedly died), adopted by the equalizer by Dallas’ Sam Metal. That is the place the rating would stay till the tip of regulation. It didn’t take lengthy in OT for Thomas Harley to ship the followers in Dallas right into a frenzy, and his crew into the Western Convention finals for a rematch from final yr with the Edmonton Oilers. Full recap.
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Jake Oettinger makes outstanding save to maintain rating stage
Jake Oettinger does his greatest try at acrobatics within the crease, making a lights-out save for the Stars within the third interval.
