Game 6 Recap: Maple Leafs Keep Season Alive
The Toronto Maple Leafs have forced a deciding Game 7 in their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Florida Panthers after securing a 2-0 win in Game 6.
Breaking the Scoreless Tie
Auston Matthews got his first goal of the series to break a scoreless tie in the third period, Joseph Woll stopped 21 shots, and the Toronto Maple Leafs kept their season alive by beating the Florida Panthers 2-0 in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series Friday night.
Game 7 is Sunday night in Toronto. The winner will face Carolina in the East final.
Key Performances
Max Pacioretty added an insurance goal for the Maple Leafs, who improved to 4-2 when facing elimination since the start of the 2023 playoffs. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 15 shots for the Panthers, the defending Stanley Cup champions who oddly are only 8-7 in potential closeout games over the last three postseasons.
Coaching and Team Records
Florida coach Paul Maurice is 5-0 in Game 7s, including the final game of last season’s Stanley Cup Final. The Panthers are 3-1 in the ultimate game of a series — 2-0 on the road — while the Maple Leafs have lost each of their last six Game 7s. Of those, four were against Boston and now-Panthers forward Brad Marchand.
Historical Context
It was the 68th game of this season’s playoffs — and only the second that was 0-0 after 40 minutes. The other was Wednesday night, when Edmonton wound up eliminating Vegas with a 1-0 victory in overtime in Game 5 of that Western Conference semifinal series. Toronto had five goals in Game 1, four more in Game 2 and had three by the early goings of the second period of Game 3. Add it up, and that was 12 in basically the first seven periods of the series.
Turning Point
From there, Toronto had managed basically nothing — until Matthews broke through. The Toronto captain was 0 for 31 on shots against Florida this season, including the regular season. Bobrovsky had stopped 85 of the last 86 shot attempts he had seen in the series. And the Maple Leafs hadn’t had the lead in basically the equivalent of 3 1/2 games — 216 minutes, 30 seconds, to be precise. But when a pass got away from Florida’s Aaron Ekblad, Matthews had a slight opening — and that was all he needed. A low shot skittered along the ice and beat Bobrovsky for a 1-0 lead with 13:40 left.
Conclusion
The Maple Leafs’ win sets the stage for a thrilling Game 7, where the stakes will be high, and the tension will be palpable. With both teams having shown resilience and determination, it’s anyone’s game. The Maple Leafs will look to break their Game 7 losing streak, while the Panthers aim to continue their successful run in decisive games.
FAQs
- Q: When is Game 7?
- A: Game 7 is scheduled for Sunday night in Toronto.
- Q: What are the stakes for Game 7?
- A: The winner of Game 7 will face Carolina in the Eastern Conference final.
- Q: What is the Maple Leafs’ record in Game 7s?
- A: The Maple Leafs have lost their last six Game 7s.
- Q: Who has the edge in coaching experience for Game 7?
- A: Florida coach Paul Maurice is 5-0 in Game 7s.
