The Florida Panthers remain alive in the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs after securing a crucial 5-4 overtime win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Head coach Paul Maurice’s team found the victory thanks to a game-winning goal from Brad Marchand.
Marchand’s shot, which deflected off defenseman Morgan Rielly to seal the 5-4 final, cut Toronto’s series lead to 2-1. What stood out in this new chapter of the series was the Panthers’ resilience, as they battled back from 2-0 and 3-1 deficits.
The first period hinted at a tough night for Florida, but the Panthers showed they won’t be easy to overcome and are determined to fight for another championship. At the same time, the addition of a seasoned star like Marchand paid off. Maurice chose to focus on the positives his team displayed against the Maple Leafs.
Paul Maurice reacts to Panthers’ OT win over Maple Leafs
“The second period was the first block of time in this series that we looked to our identity,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said, according to NHL.com. When the pressure was on, goals from Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, and Jonah Gadjovich came through for Florida—before Marchand sealed it in overtime.
Brad Marchand #63 of the Florida Panthers looks to pass against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first period of Game One of the First Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Amalie Arena on April 22, 2025 in Tampa, Florida.
Marchand’s message after OT win vs Maple Leafs
“It obviously felt good for the group. We had a good game — a better second half of the game because we didn’t start the way we would have liked. I love their resiliency. We battled back from a couple two-goal deficits and we just competed the way we know we can. But it’s all about doing it the next game. We know they’re going to come out hard,” Marchand said.
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Panthers’ Brad Marchand makes clear statement with OT dagger vs Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs
Both Maurice and Marchand agreed that the team’s best stretch came after the second period. It was even the former Boston Bruins player who made history by becoming the oldest player to score an overtime goal in the playoffs for Florida, doing so at 36 years and 363 days old.
