SUNRISE, Fla. — The Toronto Maple Leafs are nonetheless alive, and one other Sport 7 is on the horizon.
Auston Matthews scored his first purpose within the second spherical of the playoffs to interrupt a tense stalemate and provides the Leafs a grinding 2-0 win.
After being humbled in Sport 5, the Leafs got here out with the required vitality to start out Sport 6. A number of Leafs accidents within the second interval hung over them, however they saved the Florida Panthers at bay because the Stanley Cup champions pushed halfway by the sport. Lastly, Matthews broke through with a purpose that for now will rank as one of many largest and most crucial of his Leafs profession.
Max Pacioretty then sealed the take care of a late third-period purpose.
MAX PACIORETTY MAKES IT 2-0 FOR TORONTO 🤩 #StanleyCup
🇺🇸: @NHL_On_TNT & @SportsonMax ➡️ https://t.co/4TuyIATi3T
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ https://t.co/4KjbdjVctF pic.twitter.com/Clf6AyXZLZ— NHL (@NHL) May 17, 2025
Regardless of being all however written off after Sport 5 and dealing by a good Sport 6, the Leafs can have one other probability to maintain their season alive and, as soon as once more, start to vary the narrative surrounding their core and up to date playoff disappointments.
Matthews lastly scores
When the 2023-24 Rocket Richard Trophy winner broke into the Panthers’ zone with velocity within the third interval, you could possibly virtually really feel Amerant Financial institution Area tense up. Matthews had been stifled all through the sequence, and the stress surrounding him to provide had risen, particularly within the second spherical of the playoffs.
However with a fast wrist shot by the legs of Sergei Bobrovsky, Matthews broke by. To his credit score, Matthews by no means sounded defeated within the aftermath of Sport 5. He backed that up with the sort of purpose his group wanted to stay within the sequence. That his celebration was one much less of pleasure and extra of aid mentioned so much about the place Matthews and the Leafs are within the sequence. It was Matthews’ third playoff purpose of his profession in an elimination sport. And with it, the Leafs and their fan base undoubtedly felt a jolt of confidence they won’t have felt in days.
AUSTON MATTHEWS 🍁 #StanleyCup
🇺🇸: @NHL_On_TNT & @SportsonMax ➡️ https://t.co/4TuyIATi3T
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ https://t.co/4KjbdjVctF pic.twitter.com/QP0qciyFsn— NHL (@NHL) May 17, 2025
Knies’ harm lingers over Leafs’ play
After taking a reverse hit from 6-foot-6 Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola behind the Panthers’ internet late within the first interval, Matthew Knies appeared in severe discomfort when he returned for the second interval. The Leafs’ rising playoff performer frequently favored his left facet on the bench. Knies hardly seemed efficient when he was on the ice: He pulled up on the forecheck and was hardly decisive with the puck within the offensive zone. Knies’ utilization for the second interval ended up defying logic: Bobby McMann took shifts on the highest line, and Pacioretty changed Knies on the Leafs’ prime power-play unit, however Knies performed on the penalty kill.
You may perceive why Knies would need to keep within the sport — he has constructed a repute as a troublesome, participating ahead who has earned an even bigger function. However giving him shifts nonetheless appeared to hamper the group. If Knies wasn’t as efficient as he might have been, different gamers might have used extra ice time.
“He’s coping with one thing right here that occurred. And we’ve obtained to have a look at him and see how he’s feeling tomorrow,” Leafs coach Craig Berube mentioned postgame.
Woll stands tall
There’s one thing within the water for Joseph Woll in South Florida. In Sport 4 in opposition to the Panthers in 2023, Woll saved the Leafs’ season alive with a decisive 24-save effort for his first playoff win. After stopping 35 of 37 photographs in Sport 4 this yr to additional set up himself as reliable within the playoffs, Woll quietly had one more stellar effort in Sport 6.
By monitoring pucks properly, retaining his rebounds beneath management and customarily trying poised in purpose, Woll pitched his first-ever playoff shutout. He stopped all 22 photographs he confronted.
He didn’t essentially must make any highlight-reel saves, however that’s form of the purpose: Woll was at his calm-and-composed finest when the Leafs wanted him to be. The Panthers made a severe push within the second interval, however Woll by no means seemed fazed.
His efficiency additionally comes after permitting a comfortable purpose in Sport 5. No Leaf had a sport to recollect, however Woll’s being pulled had the potential to linger over him mentally. If Sport 6 proved something, it’s that it didn’t.
Panthers’ PP struggles
You may depend on the Panthers reviewing tape earlier than Sport 7 to search out some solutions for his or her energy play.
This sequence is likely to be over in the event that they had been only a tick higher with the person benefit.
Florida went 0-for-4 in Friday’s sport to drop its whole to 4-for-22 (18.2 p.c) within the sequence. That included two missed alternatives within the first interval of Sport 6 and an ineffective look within the third interval after it had fallen behind 1-0. With that golden probability to tie the rating, it couldn’t even get arrange within the offensive zone.
The Panthers had been above common with the person benefit through the common season, connecting on 23.5 p.c of their alternatives to take a seat thirteenth within the league.
Earlier within the sequence, Florida coach Paul Maurice mentioned he appreciated his group’s course of in these conditions, even when the outcomes weren’t coming. The Panthers now have 36 hours to make some changes in opposition to an efficient Leafs penalty kill.
Panthers in must-win video games
Even with all of the success the Panthers have had lately, they’ve had some bother with closeout video games.
They squandered a 3-0 result in the Edmonton Oilers within the Stanley Cup Last final spring earlier than prevailing in Sport 7. They missed on one probability to remove the Tampa Bay Lightning in Spherical 1 throughout that championship run and one probability to ship the Boston Bruins dwelling in Spherical 2 earlier than getting the job completed in each sequence.
That can be a essential expertise for them to attract on whereas heading to Scotiabank Area for Sport 7 after lacking one probability to push the Leafs into their summer season.
Florida didn’t count on Toronto to go quietly on this sequence — Brad Marchand predicted the 6-1 loss in Sport 5 would “make (the Leafs) hungrier to have a bounce-back sport and show lots of people improper, which is a really harmful mixture” — and the groups battled it out in a tense, tight and bodily Sport 6.
As for a way finest to method a must-win sport, the Panthers imagine they’ve the system.
“I simply assume it’s the concept you don’t have to vary to try to adapt to the sport,” veteran defenseman Nate Schmidt mentioned. “The sport goes to come back to you, and it’s important to perceive that it’s important to be prepared for it however not try to exit and do extra-special secret performs with the intention to win.”
Sport 7 awaits on Sunday night time.
“There’s so much on the road,” Berube mentioned. “Every part’s on the road.”
(Photograph of Auston Matthews, proper, celebrating a purpose with Morgan Rielly, left, and Matthew Knies: Carmen Mandato / Getty Photos)
