Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Maple Leafs' One-Word Message to Auston Matthews After Game 6 Win

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated May 17, 2025 8:50 AM ET

The Toronto Maple Leafs kept their season alive Friday night with a 2-0 win over the Florida Panthers in Game 6, and the team made its appreciation for its captain clear online.

Auston Matthews had been under pressure throughout the series, held goalless in five games, and criticized heavily after Toronto’s 6-1 loss in Game 5.

But with the Leafs facing elimination, the captain scored the game-winning goal on Friday, extending Toronto's season for at least one more game.

Not long after the final horn, the Leafs’ official X account posted a photo of Auston Matthews celebrating his third-period goal, captioned with just one word next to a saluting emoji.

Cap @pokerstars | #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/Q70n5sE6DY
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) May 17, 2025

“Cap ”

The goal came at 6:20 of the third period. After a turnover at the Florida blue line, Mitch Marner fed Matthews with a short pass.

“It felt great,” Matthews said. “I’ve had some good opportunities all series, and so I’m going to keep shooting and keep believing that the next one’s going in.

”So, that one felt great.”

Toronto allowed 13 Panthers goals over the previous three games before breaking through for a two-goal outing on Friday without allowing a single goal against.

“Gutsy. Just a gutsy, gutsy win all around," Matthews said. "I thought we just battled hard all three periods. It took till midway through the third to break through.

”But I just thought all throughout our lineup, everybody played hard, everybody competed.”

Game 7 between the Maple Leafs and Panthers is set for Sunday at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto at 7:30 p.m. ET, with a matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference finals waiting at the other end.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: