Panthers Advance By Maple Leafs In Game 5

     The Florida Panthers eliminated the Toronto Maple Leafs in overtime 4-3 in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Scotiabank Arena on Friday night. The Panthers captured the best-of-seven series 4-1. The Cats will remain on the road and challenge the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals next week in Raleigh. 

     The Panthers reached the third round of the playoffs for the second time in franchise history. They last accomplished it during the 1995-96 postseason. Florida had won seven of their last eight playoff games. The Maple Leafs had a 1-5 home record in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

     Florida converted on the man advantage at the 3:31 mark of the first period for a 1-0 lead. Carter Verhaeghe moved the puck from the right wing. Gustav Forsling angled a pass from the top of the zone. Aaron Ekblad smacked a one-time slap shot from the top left circle past Joseph Woll for his first goal of the playoffs. It was the second career postseason goal for Ekblad. 

     The Panthers expanded it to 2-0 with 3:42 left in the first. Ekblad was able to clear the puck out of his defensive zone. Anthony Duclair carried the puck from the right point to the high slot. He connected a diagonal pass to his right and Verhaeghe one-timed a slap shot from the low right circle for his fifth goal of the postseason.      

     Toronto closed it to 2-1 at 7:50 of the second period. David Kampf touched the puck in the left corner. Sam Lafferty cycled it from the left corner. Morgan Rielly released a wrist shot from the left point, which went off the left shin of Nick Cousins, by Sergei Bobrovsky for his fourth tally of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

     The Maple Leafs thought they tied it 2-2 with 2:49 remaining in the second. Ryan O'Reilly forwarded the puck from the left point off a Florida player and it bounced across the ice. Rielley skated into the crease area and might have scored on a forehand shot, but it was disallowed because the puck never crossed the goal line. 

     In the third period, the Leafs evened it up 2-2 with 4:24 left. T.J. Brodie sent a long outlet pass from his own zone. John Tavares guided the puck at the red line. William Nylander brought the puck into the Panthers zone. He hustled to the left right circle and snapped a shot for fourth goal of the playoffs.    

     Florida ended it with 4:28 to go in overtime for a 4-3 victory. Radko Gudas stopped a centering pass and pushed the puck ahead. Nick Cousins skated with the puck on the left side through the neutral zone into the Maple Leafs zone. He brought to the inner left circle and scored on a snap shot for his second goal of the postseason.