The Florida Panthers are heading to the Eastern Conference Final for the third consecutive season after blowing out the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-1 in Game 7 at Scotiabank Arena on Sunday.
The Panthers will play the Carolina Hurricanes in the East Final in hopes of advancing to a third straight Stanley Cup Final.
Florida lost the 2023 Cup Final to the Vegas Golden Knights before winning in 2024 over the Edmonton Oilers.
The Panthers took over in the second period following a scoreless opening frame, getting three goals 6:24 apart from Seth Jones, Anton Lundell, and Jonah Gadjovich.
The Maple Leafs showed signs of life to start the third with a goal from Max Domi, but the Panthers answered 47 seconds later with a tally from Eetu Luostarinen. Sam Reinhart added another near the midway point of the third before Brad Marchand potted an empty-netter for good measure.
Sergei Bobrovsky came up big when needed for the Panthers, making a pair of breakaway saves in the first period on Steven Lorentz and Scott Laughton en route to a 19-save effort.
The Maple Leafs have now lost eight straight winner-take-all contests dating back to 2013 - seven of those have been with Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and Morgan Rielly on the team. Toronto hasn't won a Game 7 since 2004, advanced beyond the second round since 2002, or won a Stanley Cup since 1967.
