TORONTO — May 18, 2025 – It was a Game 7 masterclass from the Florida Panthers—and Matthew Tkachuk all but called it eight hours before puck drop. The gritty forward didn’t mince words: “Our game is built for a Game 7.” And boy, did they prove it.
From the opening faceoff to the final horn, the Panthers played like they had the script in their hands. Fast, physical, relentless—and unbothered by the moment—they bulldozed the Toronto Maple Leafs 6–1 in front of a stunned Scotiabank Arena crowd, clinching a spot in the Eastern Conference Final for the third straight year.
📉 Leafs Flatlined Early
Florida came out flying, holding the Leafs without a shot for over 12 minutes in the opening period. Toronto looked like passengers, barely touching the puck. When William Nylander finally got a decent look, Sergei Bobrovsky shut the door—just as he did all series long.
Bobrovsky, in vintage form, allowed just four goals in the last four games of the series. A shutout in Game 4, then just one goal each in Games 5 and 7. A human wall when the Panthers needed him most.
🔥 Second-Period Surge Breaks it Open
The breakthrough came early in the second period, and once the dam burst, it was floodgates open. Seth Jones (3:15), Anton Lundell (7:18), and Jonah Gadjovich (9:39) scored in quick succession, draining the energy from the building and overwhelming the Leafs.
Even after a Max Domi goal early in the third made it 3–1, Florida hit right back—Eetu Luostarinen restored the three-goal cushion just 47 seconds later, part of his monster three-point night.
💬 Postgame Honesty from the Leafs
“They were the more desperate, more aggressive team tonight,” Leafs coach Craig Berube said bluntly. “We didn’t have it.”
And Florida did. From the first line to the fourth, they kept coming. Tkachuk, Marchand, Reinhart—they all contributed, but it was Florida’s system and depth that crushed Toronto’s hopes.
🏒 Been Here Before
Brad Marchand said it best: “This wasn’t pressure. Game 7 of the Cup Final last year? That was pressure.” The Panthers are built for these moments—and their experience is showing.
📆 What’s Next?
Florida now turns its attention to the Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes. Game 1 goes Tuesday night at Lenovo Center. And if it goes seven? The Panthers won’t blink. They’ve been ready since training camp.
