Fort Lauderdale – The Florida Panthers know this situation very well.
For the third straight postseason, we have to find a way to win Game 7.
After returning from the first 2-0 series deficit in the second round of the Eastern Conference, the Panthers will face the Toronto Maple Leafs in a winning home contest held at Scottia Bank Arena on Sunday.
“You have to bring all your emotions, strength, focus to that game,” said defensive man Aaron Eckbrad. “We obviously did it before. We just draw these experiences.”
Essentially chasing away from the present golden age, the Panthers were on the map in Game 7 of Round 1 in 2023 with a stunning upset by the top-seeded Boston Bruins.
A year later, they defeated the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.
“The more you get into a situation, the more comfortable you will be,” said forward Sam Reinhart, who scored the Cup-winning goal against Edmonton. “It’s comforting because you go through it together over and over. You know what you expect from the guy next to you. That’s the best he is in these times.”
Overall, the Panthers are 3-1 in Game 7. This includes 2-0 on the road.
Florida’s playoff roster has 18 different players who appeared in at least one Game 7. This includes 13 players who joined the team that won the Stanley Cup last season.
Clutch featured Carter Verhege, Matthew Tokachuk, Sam Reinhart and Evan Rodriguez scored in Game 7, with Belhege also posting a team-high four points.
On the internet, Sergei Bobrovsky went 2-0 with a .933 save rate in two games 7.
A key addition to the trade deadline, Brad Marchand is set to appear in his first game 7 with the Panthers and 13th place.
This also marks his fifth game 7 with the leaves of Mape.
“It’s free to be in this situation and know how to handle it,” Ekblad said. “The message, the chemistry, the intensity, and the way it is prepared is all the same. Nothing changes. It prepares our bodies and feels the best we can get into it.”
Beyond the ice, the Maple Leafs had more experience, but were not successful in Game 7.
The Maple Leafs, who last appeared in Game 7 with the Ottawa Senators in 2004, owns a 12-15 record in Game 7, including six consecutive wins.
However, to win Game 7, Toronto’s cores of William Nylander, Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and Morgan Riery went 0-5 in their careers, while John Tavares sits 0-4.
In his first season with the Maple Leafs, Max Pacioretti is 3-1 in Game 7.
Joseph Wal never played in Game 7 in the hopes of being given a crease.
“At the end, we were down 2-0 in this series, so we would have loved Game 7 and this opportunity,” Tkachuk said. “We’re not going to sit here and speak out about it. It’s an opportunity to make a name for ourselves again. We’ve enjoyed these games and enjoy these moments.”
Behind the bench, both Paul Maurice and Craig Belbe scored Game 7 in the Stanley Cup final.
As you can imagine, both teams are prepared when the puck drops.
“These teams both got that,” Maurice said. “They got the right to jump out as hard as they could and enjoy the process. …We were 0-2 and they’re down 3-2 (in the series). Both teams got the right to enjoy this.”
