Any playoff series featuring the defending Stanley Cup champions, especially when matched up against a similarly equipped opponent on paper, is usually bound to be an entertaining one. That’s what we’ve gotten in the second round between the Maple Leafs and Panthers, with a couple of wild momentum shifts resulting in a Game 7 on Sunday night.
The series didn’t start as evenly matched as most would have predicted. Some underwhelming play from Florida netminder Sergei Bobrovsky meant the Leafs, doubling their win total past the first round in the Auston Matthews era, took a 2-0 series lead into Sunrise. But the Panthers, who have controlled the majority of quality chances at 5-on-5 throughout the series, got more support from their All-Star netminder in Games 3 through 5 as they countered with three straight wins of their own to push Toronto to the brink in Game 6. The Leafs, perhaps taking a vital step to erase their underwhelming postseason reputation, put their best performance of the series forward with their backs against the wall with a 2-0 shutout win on the road to send the series home for a do-or-die Game 7.
Bobrovsky and Toronto goaltender Joseph Woll, who entered Game 1 in relief of starter Anthony Stolarz when he exited with apparent concussion symptoms and has started every game since, have had similar showings here in Round 2. The latter’s Game 6 shutout upped his save percentage to .893 with 0.42 goals saved above expected, while Bobrovsky’s posted a .895 SV% and 0.76 GSAx, per Natural Stat Trick.
Regarding the skaters, Florida’s best player hasn’t even played every game in the series. Defenseman Aaron Ekblad has been dominant after missing Game 1 due to suspension, serving as the Cats’ only point-per-game player in the series while averaging 22:34 per game. Depth has been the name of the game for Florida – every player to suit up in at least half of the series has registered a point.
It’s no surprise to see now-established playoff performer William Nylander atop the Leafs’ scoring chart with six points through six games, but the player he’s tied with is quite eye-raising. Depth veteran Max Pacioretty has turned back the clock after scoring the series-clinching goal against the Senators in the first round, rattling off two goals and four assists with a team-high plus-three rating through Game 6 of the Florida series. Averaging just 12:58 per game against the Panthers, he’s among the most efficient scorers in the league this postseason.
As for Toronto’s first-line triumvirate of Matthews, Matthew Knies, and Mitch Marner, they played their best game in Game 6. Matthews’ game-winner was his first of the series, but Knies is the only one with multiple goals in Round 2. On a highly concerning note for Toronto, he’s questionable for Game 7 after sustaining an apparent shoulder injury early in Game 6 and playing through it, head coach Craig Berube said.
While the Panthers are the road team, betting odds and most prediction sites give them the slight edge. Most betting sites have the implied odds of a Florida win around 55%, while MoneyPuck has it at just 50.2%. Of course, Toronto is 2-1 at home against the Panthers in this series and 4-2 at home so far in the playoffs.
One storyline to watch: after the first three games in the series were decided by one goal, including Florida’s come-from-behind overtime win in Game 3, the last three have been decided by two or more. Will we get more of a nail-biter Sunday night?
Let us know which team you think will win Game 7 and advance to the Eastern Conference Final – potentially the Panthers’ third straight ECF appearance or the Leafs’ first since 2002. Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to share your thinking!
If you can’t see the poll, click here to vote.
Toronto will s*** the bed as is tradition.
Agree. I wish you were Wilf. I played on a team of amateurs with him towards the end of his career.
His brother Rosie was a beast as well, who I played with and against.
I don’t know what the stat is for teams losing close out games on home ice vs losing or winning the series on the road, but throwing away the chance to get it done at home is clearly not good.
Brad Marchand will continue to torment Toronto with the game winner
I don’t know, but I think the winner of the game wins it all.
Will beat Carolina* Dallas is definitely the team to beat, solid defense and the deepest forward group, Ottinger is a beast too
Carolina will beat either of these 2 teams. Carolina has been solid on both sides of the ice & goalie Freddy Anderson has been statistically the best goalie in these playoffs.
I hope Toronto beats the Florida scumbags though.
Carolina hasn’t faced stars like both Toronto and Florida have. Something they’ve proved time and time again unable to matchup with. Logic says Florida wins the east again, but i guess we will see…
Tampa fan crying a river after 2 Cups they couldn’t have won without cheating the salary cap.
You love to see it.
@Pyramid – HAHA you’re one of those buffoons whining about the cap. It’s only cheating if it’s illegal by the league which it isn’t. Get over it, whiner! An absolute stupid argument. Chicago, Vegas & even Florida did it with getting Marchand. Tampa won those 2 Cups by simply being better than the rest during arguably the toughest time in the NHL.
@gowings – Logic? Logic doesn’t matter in the playoffs as anything can happen. Carolina is better than both of them in these playoffs as defense wins championships & Carolina is consistently better than both.
Florida is overrated & can’t win crap without taking cheap shots & injuring their opponent particularly with headshots which many NHL fans of all kinds even pundits have called out. As for Toronto, they lack the pedigree to succeed to the promise land as they’ll fall in the Conference Finals as the pressure will crumble them.
Truth be told though, it’s Dallas or Edmonton walking away with the Cup this year.
I have told you time and again that you need new material. The essence of your posts are always the same. 1) You feign outrage and shock that anyone can disagree with you. For example (OMG, WTF, or today’s Logic ? With the question mark ?) 2) Then you insult the other person and call them stupid or a half wit. But I ask you who is really the half wit if you are easily triggered. 3) Then you spin your crap theories of how your team was cheated by another team’s cheating or cheap shots and dirty play. ( This has been the Panthers because we have owned your franchise for the past few years.) Finally a word of advice for you. Maybe lay off the posts for awhile and let perspective sink in. You can only look like a buffoon for so long
They will not
When was the last time Toronto won a Game 7?
Pre salary cap. What a sad sack franchise when it comes to results outside of making money.
25 years ago
So I had Florida winning this series until a certain few events occurred; one namely being Woll taking over the crease. This guy loves the pressure cooker and I suggest everyone look at his save % in elimination games. This team is far more complete, especially defensively than our previous rosters. We leveraged our assets for cost controlled pieces that are already paying dividends. Marner has turned the page. This is huge and probably stems from the high moment assist to McDavid’s goal. Seemingly this has worn on Matthews who finally broke his puck luck. I think we see a new brand of Leafs hockey under Berube; and those who thought these were the Leafs of ol’ better get their vision checked after game 6.
Go Leafs go.
Marner has turned the page? Oh boy how you already forgot about games 4 & 5 along with his many previous playoff failures.
Panthers win game 7 ending Marner’s time with the Leafs. This is actually a good thing as the Leafs can spend that money elsewhere.
I’ll admit after Game 5 I wrote them off. They do seem to have good qualities as a team that they didn’t under Keefe.
If they have a good effort Sunday night, win or lose, I think the choking narrative needs to be put to bed. They’re a more mature team. And their best players have been their best players.
McDavid plays for the Leafs????
You are truly spaced! LOL
Cup runs through Florida as usual