Toronto Maple Leafs lose another Game 7 on home ice to the Florida Panthers on Sunday night

The Leafs had a golden opportunity to advance to their first Eastern Conference Final in over two decades, but they came up short once again. With Sunday's defeat, Toronto has now lost six consecutive Game 7's since 2018, a trend that continues to define their playoff struggles.

Eetu Luostarinen and Brad Marchand each tallied a goal and two assists as the Florida Panthers dominated the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-1 in Game 7 on Sunday, clinching the second-round playoff series in emphatic fashion.

Seth Jones contributed a goal and an assist, while Anton Lundell, Jonah Gadjovich, and Sam Reinhart also found the back of the net for the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. Captain Aleksander Barkov added two assists, and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 19 shots in the win.

The atmosphere at Scotiabank Arena was electric when the puck dropped, but as the game neared its end, the crowd's excitement turned to frustration, marked by loud boos. Fans showed their disappointment by littering Leafs' jerseys and hats onto the ice surface.

The Leafs took an early lead in the Atlantic Division series with back-to-back home wins, going up 2-0.

However, the Panthers responded by winning three straight games to take a 3-2 series lead, including a dominant 6-1 victory in Game 5 that resembled Sunday's blowout. Toronto managed to stave off elimination with a 2-0 road win on Friday but couldn't match Florida's intensity and urgency in the decisive Game 7.

With their victory, the Panthers will advance to face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final. Game 1 is set for Tuesday in Carolina.

Source:
Sportsnet
Maple Leafs' season ends after one-sided loss to Panthers in Game 7