SUNRISE, Fla. — The defining moment came in overtime when Brad Marchand’s shot found its way into the net, marking a crucial victory for the Florida Panthers. Marchand’s goal at 15:27 of the extra period led the Panthers to a 5-4 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday night, reducing their series deficit to 2-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
“We just played with the intensity we know we’re capable of,” said Marchand following the match.
The goal was redirected off Toronto’s Morgan Rielly and floated past goalkeeper Joseph Woll. Interestingly, the game featured four such goals where the puck was deflected off a player before slipping into the net—two for each team.
Florida’s offensive efforts were bolstered by goals from Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, and Jonah Gadjovich. Star goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 27 key saves, contributing to the Panthers’ record of 13 wins out of 15 playoff overtime games.
Toronto had contributions from John Tavares, who scored twice, as well as Matthew Knies, and Morgan Rielly. In goal, Joseph Woll faced a firing squad of 32 shots.
Looking ahead, the teams are gearing up for Game 4, set to take place in Sunrise on Sunday night.
“Overtime brought us some opportunities,” indicated Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube. “In overtime, it’s often about a bounce going your way or not.”
Florida’s tenacity paid off as they overturned 2-0 and 3-1 deficits, demonstrating resilience not often seen against Toronto this season.
Highlights from Toronto’s performance this season included a stellar 30-3-0 record when leading after the first period and a 38-8-2 record after scoring first—some of the best in the league. Additionally, when leading by two or more, they were 44-3-1.
However, Marchand, with his experience of never having lost a playoff series against Toronto from his Boston days, maintained composure and handed Florida a precious win.
“It’s just a moment in the game,” Marchand reflected on his fourth career overtime playoff goal, which ties him for seventh in NHL history. “It could be anyone on the ice. It’s those little details that make those moments happen.”
Toronto managed two goals that ricocheted off Panthers’ defensemen—Tavares’ second goal grazed Gustav Forsling’s glove while Rielly’s shot redirected off Seth Jones’ leg to even the score at 4-4 in the third period.
“You focus on what you can control,” said Bobrovsky succinctly.
Barkov initiated Florida’s scoring by tossing the puck towards the net, where it bounced in off a Toronto stick. Marchand sealed the game with his decisive shot.
Down by two, Florida sought a turning point that came when Reinhart was awarded a goal upon a review which showed the puck had crossed the line after a frantic exchange near the Toronto net. This energized the Panthers, and Verhaeghe quickly capitalized by tying the game at 3-3.
Gadjovich granted Florida a fleeting lead at 4-3 late in the second period before Rielly’s third-period goal equalized, setting the stage for Marchand’s dramatic winner.