THUNDER BAY – STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF COVERAGE – Hockey fans, grab your snacks and buckle up—Game 7 is coming to Scotiabank Arena! The Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers will settle their intense Eastern Conference Second Round series on Sunday night at 7:30 p.m. ET.
The Leafs, down 3-2 in the series, punched back with a gritty 2-0 shutout win in Sunrise, Florida, Friday night, forcing this winner-takes-all tilt on home ice. The prize? A ticket to the Eastern Conference Final against the well-rested Carolina Hurricanes, who sent the Capitals packing in five games.
Leafs Face History—and Their Own Demons—in Game 7
The blue and white faithful know this story all too well. The Maple Leafs are 12-15 all-time in Game 7s, with a more promising 7-3 record at home, but history has not been kind recently. Toronto has dropped six straight Game 7s, all in the first round, with their last win dating back to 2004 against the Ottawa Senators.
The pressure is on, but Scotiabank Arena will be rocking.
Key Leafs performers in Game 7 history include:
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Max Domi: 3 goals, 1 assist (2-3 record)
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William Nylander: 2 goals, 2 assists (0-5)
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Auston Matthews: 3 assists (0-5)
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Mitch Marner & Morgan Rielly: Both 0-5
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John Tavares: 0-4
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Max Pacioretty, a playoff veteran, brings some positive juju with a 3-1 record and 3 goals in Game 7s
Between the pipes, Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz are entering uncharted Game 7 waters, while veteran Matt Murray—though on the bench—brings a shiny 2-0 Game 7 record from his Penguins days, sporting a 1.24 GAA and .935 save percentage.
Behind the bench, Craig Berube knows how to win when it matters most—he’s 2-1 in Game 7s, including that iconic 2019 Cup win with the Blues over the Bruins.
Panthers Look to Spoil the Party—Again
Don’t sleep on the Panthers, folks. Florida’s 3-1 in Game 7 history, 2-0 on the road, and they have ice in their veins. Remember last year? They clinched the Stanley Cup at home in Game 7 against Edmonton.
Key Cats performers in Game 7s include:
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Brad Marchand: 7 points (3G, 4A) in 12 Game 7s (7-5)
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Carter Verhaeghe: 2G, 2A (2-0)
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Matthew Tkachuk: 1G, 2A (3-0)
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Sam Reinhart and Evan Rodrigues have also hit the scoresheet in Game 7s
In net, Sergei Bobrovsky is cool and composed with a flawless 2-0 record, 1.88 GAA, and a sizzling .933 save percentage in Game 7s. Let’s not forget—he made 23 saves in last year’s Cup-clinching masterpiece.
And let’s talk coaches—Paul Maurice is the undisputed king of Game 7s, with a perfect 5-0 record. He’s never lost one. That’s a stat Leafs fans will be hoping to rewrite on Sunday night.
Game On!
Sunday’s matchup promises high drama, legacy moments, and heartbreak for one side. Will the Leafs exorcise their Game 7 demons? Or will the battle-hardened Panthers crash the party and skate toward another Cup defense?
We’ll find out under the bright lights at Scotiabank Arena. Puck drops at 7:30 p.m. ET, and you can catch all the action on CBC, TVAS, SN, TNT, truTV, and MAX.
