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Sunrise, FL - The Florida Panthers delivered a dominant performance Sunday night, dismantling the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-1 in Game 7 to advance to the Eastern Conference Final.
Sergei Bobrovsky turned away 19 shots, anchoring a Florida defense that stifled Toronto’s offense all night.
The Panthers erupted for three goals in a six-minute burst during the second period, with Seth Jones, Anton Lundell, and Jonah Gadjovich all finding the back of the net.
Toronto briefly gave its fans hope when Max Domi scored early in the third, cutting the deficit to 3-1.
But Florida wasted no time responding.
Just 47 seconds later, Eetu Luostarinen restored the three-goal lead, followed by a tally from Sam Reinhart midway through the period.
Brad Marchand sealed the win with an empty-net goal.
The Panthers now advance to face the Carolina Hurricanes in the conference final, which opens Tuesday on the road.
It marks Florida’s third consecutive trip to the Eastern Conference Final, a rare feat in the salary cap era.
Toronto’s Game 7 woes continue.
The loss marks their seventh straight defeat in a Game 7, tied for the longest such streak in NHL history.
Despite strong regular-season showings in recent years, the Maple Leafs have won just two playoff series since the Auston Matthews–Mitch Marner era began.
Marchand, who picked up two assists along with his goal, made history by earning his fifth Game 7 win over Toronto, more than any other player in NHL history against a single opponent.