Maple Leafs faces playoff exit after losing three straight to Panthers

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / May 17, 2025, 02:54 IST

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The Panthers are up 3-2 in the series after capturing three consecutive games. Toronto played great at first but has since stumbled. Game 6 in Florida is now a must-win for the Maple Leafs, or their playoff dreams will be dashed.

Maple Leafs faces playoff exit after losing three straight to Panthers (Image Source: Getty Images)

The Toronto Maple Leafs find themselves in major trouble all of a sudden. They had begun their second-round playoff series against the Florida Panthers with two consecutive victories, but now everything has gone awry. The Leafs are now behind 3-2 in the series. The Panthers defeated them 6-1 in Game 5, and Toronto's season hangs in the balance. Game 6 will be hosted by the Panthers on Friday night, and the Leafs have no choice but to win if they want to keep their season alive.

Aaron Ekblad captains Panthers as they demolish Leafs in Game 5

The Panthers did not take long to begin Game 5. Aaron Ekblad opened the scoring late in the first period to put Florida up. The Panthers then took over from there. During the second period, they netted three goals with no response from the Leafs. That took it to 4-0 before the third period even began.By the third period, when they were ahead, the Toronto home crowd had grown quiet. Jesper Boqvist and Aaron Ekblad both had a goal and an assist, as did Sam Reinhart with two assists. Six different players scored for the Panthers. It was a total team effort, and the Leafs had no response.Toronto could only muster a single goal and that was with just over one minute remaining in the game. It was too little, too late. Now they will have to struggle to win on the road in Sunrise, Florida, just to create a Game 7 back home.

Maple Leafs need to win in Florida or their season will be over

The pressure is now entirely on Toronto. They've reached the second round of the playoffs for only the second time since 2004. But again, they're struggling to get past it. A loss in Game 6 equates to another early elimination, something that fans have experienced all too often in the past few years.Florida, meanwhile, is shaping up to be a legitimate contender again. They are the defending team, and they now have a shot at getting back to the conference finals for the third consecutive year. With the next contest on home ice and all the momentum, they'll be difficult to beat.Game 6 begins at 8 p.m. ET on Friday and will appear on TNT, truTV, and stream on Sling. The fans can also catch the game on SiriusXM radio.Also Read: Game Preview: Florida Panthers Set To Host Toronto Maple Leafs In Game 6 Of Second-Round Series

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TOI Sports Desk

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