The Florida Panthers dismantled the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7 at Scotiabank Arena, posting a convincing 6-1 vicotry to reach the Eastern Conference Final for the third straight season.
After the teams traded dominant stretches during a scoreless opening period, the Panthers came up with the all-important first goal when, upon receipt, Evan Rodrigues craftily backhanded Aleksander Barkov’s outlet pass to Seth Jones, creating a 2-on-1 entry into the Toronto zone. Jones held on to puck and moved into the right circle before uncorking a bullet that found the top left corner of the net 3:15 into the middle frame.
The Cats doubled the lead 4:03 later to put the Maple Leafs in a hole they wouldn’t climb out of. Joseph Woll denied a Brad Marchand wrister, but Anton Lundell was able to keep the play alive by whacking the puck back to former Bruin below the goal line. Marchand traded passes with Niko Mikkola before whipping another shot towards the goal that was deftly deflected down and off Woll’s leg pad by Eetu Luostarinen. The rebound came to Lundell, and he pounded it home for the eventual game-winner.
Jones would collect his second point of the period when he picked off an errant pass in the neutral zone and waited to touch the puck as he crossed the blue line, allowing Jonah Gadjovich to get back onside and then dropped to A.J. Greer. Greer fired a hard low shot on Woll, then collected the rebound and centered to Gadjovich, who just got enough of the puck to get into the back of the net at 9:39.
The Panthers would shoot themselves in the foot early in the third, failing to get the puck deep enough down the ice while changing. Toronto quickly turned the play around with Bobby McMann snapping a long pass to Max Domi, who skated in on Sergei Bobrovksy and beat him five-hole along the ice at the 2:07 mark.
Florida’s third line would squelch any hope of a comeback and essentially end Toronto’s season 47 seconds later, stunning the sellout crowd back into silence. After carrying down the right side on a 3-on-3 rush, Marchand sent the puck around the boards and casually switched sides. While Luostarinen and Lundell didn’t maintain possession, they did apply enough pressure for the puck to end up back on Marchand’s stick. The heady veteran sent the puck towards Woll and Luostarinen gently swiped it high enough to elude Woll and find a little bit of space between the goaltender and near post to re-establish the three-goal advantage.
Barkov would win an offensive zone draw in the left circle back to Sam Reinhart, and he sniped Woll for his second of the series to make it a laugher at 9.24. Great job missing it live, TNT… Anyways, real nice shot by Reinhart, who was due.
Marchand (goal) and Luostarinen (assist) would combine on a long-range empty-netter to complete the scoring at 16:57. Stellar performance from that duo, who each finished with a goal and two assists.
Throwing out the last eight or so minutes of the first period, Florida stepped up and delivered a near flawless performance with their season on the line in Game 7. After a somewhat tentative outing on Friday, the Cats came roaring out the gate, playing keep away with the puck and testing Woll seven times before the Maple Leafs finally got their first shot (a quality chance from in close by William Nylander) 11:35 into the first. Once Jones score his beauty early in the second, the floodgates opened and the Panthers, aside from the hiccup that cost Bobrovsky a shutout, were in total control the rest of the way. While I don’t want to give Toronto short shrift in any way, the better team won this series. Back-to-back 6-1 wins in Game 5 and Game 7 on the road are proof that when the Cats are on their game, they remain a force to be reckoned with. I’m gone to Carolina in my mind.
Rakes & Bags
- Brad Marchand appeared in his 13th career Game 7, the most among active NHL players. He is 5-0 in Game 7s against Toronto. After Seth Jones opened the scoring, Marchand was the engine that helped turn the game into a rout. Marchand is now second in all time scoring against the Maple Leafs in the playoffs with 37 points, trailing only Mr. Hockey, Gordie Howe’s 53.
- Marchand has unlocked the offensive potential of linemate Eetu Luostarinen. Following their respective three-point nights, the pair is tied for the team scoring lead with 12 points. Luostarinen was one of four Panthers to finish with a game-high four shots, and he was also credited with four hits.
- In addition to his key goal and assist, the aforementioned Mr. Jones logged a game-high 23:42 of ice time and finished with four shots, two blocks, a hit and three takeaways.
- Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 19 of 20 shots to help close out the Maple Leafs. He came up big in the latter part of the first period when Toronto seized control of play for a spell. Bobrovsky allowed two or fewer goals in each of the last four games of the series.
- Head coach Paul Maurice improved to a perfect 6-0 in Game 7s. The Panthers have won nine out of the ten series they have played with Maurice behind the bench.
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