SUNRISE, FL – “And just like that — the Cats claw back into the series!”
Brad Marchand, the wily vet with ice in his veins, found the back of the net 15:27 into overtime, and the Florida Panthers stormed back to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-4 in a Game 3 classic Friday night at Amerant Bank Arena.
It was a goal that took a strange turn — literally. Marchand’s wrister from the left circle caught a piece of Morgan Rielly’s stick and redirected past Joseph Woll, sending the Florida bench into a frenzy and cutting Toronto’s series lead to 2-1.
Leafs Come Out Firing, But Panthers Strike Back
The Leafs looked unstoppable early. Just 23 seconds in, Matthew Knies buried a rebound to give Toronto the fastest playoff goal in franchise history since 1962.
Then it was Captain Clutch, John Tavares, who made it 2-0 with a slick wraparound finish at 5:57, finishing off a 3-on-2 with Max Pacioretty and Mitch Marner.
But just when it looked like the Leafs were in control, the Panthers bit back — and they did it with grit, bounces, and belief.
Momentum Swings Like a Playoff Pendulum
Aleksander Barkov cut the lead to 2-1 midway through the first, benefitting from a bounce off Rielly’s blade. It was the first of several strange deflections in a night full of playoff chaos.
Tavares responded on the power play — his second of the game — redirecting a Marner point shot for a 3-1 Leafs lead early in the second. But Florida owned the middle frame, outshooting Toronto 9-4 and tilting the ice hard.
Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, and Jonah Gadjovich each found the back of the net as the Panthers ripped off three unanswered goals to grab a 4-3 lead by the end of the second.
Gadjovich, playing his first game since April 15, gave Florida its first lead with a perfect deflection off a Tomas Nosek shot — a blue-collar goal for a player grinding his way back into the lineup.
Rielly Redeems — Then Watches the Winner Go Off Him
Rielly, who had already deflected one into his own net, tied the game 4-4 at 10:56 of the third, sending a shot off Seth Jones’ leg and in. It looked like poetic redemption.
But in overtime, Marchand made sure Rielly’s night ended in frustration. The Panthers veteran, just one day shy of his 37th birthday, became the oldest player in Panthers history to score a playoff OT goal.
It was also his fourth career playoff OT winner, putting him behind only Verhaeghe, Corey Perry, and Patrick Kane among active players.
What They’re Saying
“We battled back from a couple two-goal deficits… I love their resiliency,” Marchand said postgame. “But now it’s about doing it again next game. We know they’re coming hard.”
“We just didn’t stay direct in the second,” said Leafs coach Craig Berube. “We got back to it in the third. We’ve got to keep pressing like that.”
“We had it in our hands and let it go,” said Tavares. “That’s playoff hockey. Small margins. Big swings.”
Game 4: Sunday Showdown in Sunrise
With the series now sitting at 2-1 in Toronto’s favour, the Leafs will be looking to shake off the OT sting and recapture their early-game fire. Game 4 is set for Sunday night at 7:30 p.m. ET, and it promises to be a turning point in this Atlantic Division grudge match.
Will the Panthers complete the comeback and even the series? Or will the Leafs prove this team really is different?
Stay tuned — because this one’s heating up fast.
