Panthers Become Huge Favorites Over Maple Leafs

The Florida Panthers started their second-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs down 2-0, but have notched three straight wins to put themselves on the verge of advancing. Following a blowout victory over the Maple Leafs in Toronto for Game 5, the Panthers enter Game 6 as heavy favorites in their own barn.

According to moneypuck.com, the Panthers have a 61.9% chance of defeating the Maple Leafs in Game 6, and advancing to their third straight Easter Conference Final. The Maple Leafs, meanwhile, hold just a 38.1% chance of winning and forcing a Game 7.

Normally, game odds between playoff teams are pretty tight with 50/50 splits being pretty commonplace. The Maple Leafs are entering Game 6 following a devastating loss on home ice and next to no one has belief they can force a seventh game.

In front of their home crowd, the Maple Leafs lost 6-1 to the Panthers with their only goal coming from Nicholas Robertson, playing in just his third game of the postseason.

The Panthers on the other hand, saw their depth step up in a huge way. Defensemen Dmitry Kulikov and Niko Mikkola scored their first goals of the playoffs, as too did forward Jesper Boqvist and A.J. Greer.

Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky pitched a shutout in Game 4 to tie the series at two, then was holding another shutout while the Panthers went up 6-0 in Game 5. Robertson’s goal came with just over a minute left to play in the game.

The Panthers have all of the momentum heading back home looking to cap off the series. The Maple Leafs were embarrassed in Game 5 and have a brutal history in elimination games.

Everything is leaning in the Panthers’ favor and it sure seems likely they will take this series in six games, handing the Maple Leafs another disastrous postseason collapse. The Panthers are the reigning Stanley Cup champions and seem primed for a repeat.