The Toronto Maple Leafs are still alive! Auston Matthews is still alive! A decisive Game 7 is set to take place in Toronto after the visiting Maple Leafs secured a 2-0 victory over the Florida Panthers in Game 6.
Entering Friday night, Matthews had not yet scored in the series, during which the Maple Leafs saw their initial 2-0 series lead disappear, trailing 3-2. Consequently, Matthews faced significant pressure heading into a must-win elimination game, and he emphatically delivered.
At the 6:20 mark of the third period, Matthews finally broke the scoreless tie. Driving into the offensive zone on the rush, he unleashed a powerful shot, a `laser,` past goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. This goal marked Matthews` first of the series and couldn`t have come at a more critical moment for Toronto.
Later in the same period, veteran forward Max Pacioretty extended Toronto`s advantage, scoring his third goal of the current postseason. Pacioretty finished off a perfectly placed pass from Bobby McMann as he aggressively drove towards the net.
Another crucial storyline for the Leafs was the stellar performance of goaltender Joseph Woll. He rebounded sharply from a difficult Game 5 where he allowed five goals on just 25 shots. In Game 6, Woll was perfect, stopping all 22 shots fired by the Panthers to earn a shutout victory.
With another night of NHL playoff action concluded, let`s highlight the top performers with our 3 Stars of the Night.
3. Max Pacioretty | LW | Maple Leafs
Over the past couple of seasons, Pacioretty has often seemed like a veteran forward nearing the end of his career. However, in these playoffs, he has shown flashes of his former self and delivered another strong game tonight.
In Game 6, Pacioretty netted a vital insurance goal for the Maple Leafs late in the third period. He managed to get to the net ahead of Nate Schmidt to chip in a superb feed from McMann, providing Toronto with crucial breathing room. For the Leafs to win this series, they need more contributions from their supporting cast, and Pacioretty stepped up to provide one.
2. Joseph Woll | G | Maple Leafs
Joseph Woll, like the rest of the Maple Leafs, had a very tough outing in Game 5. It was reasonable to question how he would recover sufficiently to help force a Game 7, but he was flawless on Friday night. While Toronto`s defense made his job easier by limiting high-danger chances, Woll was there to stop everything that reached him.
The Panthers directed only 22 shots towards Woll, but he denied every single one. According to Natural Stat Trick, Woll only had to make four high-danger saves throughout the game, but he made them when it mattered most. Ultimately, Woll saved 1.11 goals above average and successfully turned away all seven rebound attempts Florida generated. If he can carry this elite performance into Game 7, the Eastern Conference Final is a possibility for Toronto.
1. Auston Matthews | C | Maple Leafs
Was there any player under more intense scrutiny than Auston Matthews? That question is rhetorical. The captain of the Leafs had not scored at all in this playoff series until he scored the game-winning goal in the do-or-die Game 6.
The Panthers had largely neutralized Matthews for most of the series until he found just enough space to unleash a shot on the rush in the third period. It was a signature Matthews goal – a deadly release that caught Bobrovsky off guard, giving Toronto a late lead. That goal must have felt like an immense weight lifted from Matthews` shoulders, and it will be fascinating to see if he can use this moment as a catalyst for a standout performance in Game 7.
