May 18, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) makes a save on Toronto Maple Leafs forward Bobby McMann (74) as Florida Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling (42) helps out during the first period of game seven of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Maple Leafs Crumble, Panthers Advance to Eastern Conference Finals

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI | By Jacob Punturi | Last updated May 18, 2025 10:19 PM ET

The Florida Panthers are moving on to the Eastern Conference Finals for the third consecutive season. In a dominating Game 7, the Panthers rebounded from their Game 6 defeat to end the Toronto Maple Leafs' Stanley Cup hopes. The Cats are moving on after routing the Maple Leafs by a final score of 6-1.

The Panthers continued the NHL trend of winning after scoring first in Game 7. Defenseman Seth Jones walked in on a 2-on-1, kept the puck, and fired a howitzer of a shot past Maple Leafs goalie Joseph Woll. The right-shot defender was spectacular for Florida on both ends of the ice.

Jones' goal opened the floodgates over a 10-minute span in the second period. The Panthers rattled off three consecutive tallies to go up 3-0 with nearly half the game remaining. They swarmed the Maple Leafs during the middle frame, controlling puck possession, winning seemingly every battle, and outskating Toronto to every loose puck. The Toronto crowd grew frustrated and restless, with boos starting to rain down on the team to close out the middle period.

With 21 minutes left in Game 7, the #leafs are hearing some boos at Scotiabank Arena.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) May 19, 2025

Things just got worse for the Leafs in the third. After the Panthers added two more, the Leafs’ faithful turned it up a notch. Instead of boos, jerseys began to hit the ice.

Leafs fans are throwing jerseys on the ice again at Scotiabank Arena. pic.twitter.com/YBXAH7p1Oj
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) May 19, 2025

Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky was fantastic in net, continuing his red-hot stretch since the second round began. The 36-year-old puck-stopper is now set to play in his third straight conference finals.

For the Maple Leafs, the loss is another season of disappointment. The Core Four of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and John Tavares have failed to get past the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs during their tenure in Toronto. With another premature exit from the postseason, the demons continue haunting the Leafs' top players. Many believed this would be the final run of the core, could that be the case after the Panthers dominated them in Game 7?

The Panthers meet the Carolina Hurricanes to decide the Eastern Conference Finals. The Panthers have advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals in each of the past two seasons, but the Hurricanes will attempt to end their reign over the East in a highly anticipated series.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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