2025 NHL playoffs: Preview for Maple Leafs-Panthers Game 6

After building a 2-0 lead on the Florida Panthers in their second-round series, the Toronto Maple Leafs are now down 3-2 leading into Friday’s Game 6 (8 p.m. ET, TNT).

Will this be the final game of the Maple Leafs’ season? Or will they force a Game 7 on Sunday?

Read on for game previews with statistical insights from ESPN Research, a recap of what went down in Thursday’s games and the three stars of Thursday from Arda Öcal.

Matchup notes

Toronto Maple Leafs at Florida Panthers
Game 6 | 8 p.m. ET | TNT

With the Panthers up 3-2 in the series, ESPN BET now lists them as -800 to win this series, with the Maple Leafs at +500. Florida’s Stanley Cup odds are now +300, while Toronto’s are +2500.

The Panthers are 5-1 all time when leading 3-2 in a seven-game series. The only loss came in the 2012 playoffs against the Devils. The Maple Leafs are 6-18 all time when trailing a series 3-2.

In Game 5, 14 different Panthers registered points, which is the most players to do so in a single playoff game in franchise history. Florida has had 17 different players score a goal this postseason, which breaks a single-postseason franchise record set in 1996.

With his fourth multipoint game of the playoffs, the Panthers’ Sam Reinhart is one of six players to hit that benchmark in the 2025 playoffs.

The Panthers have not trailed for 170:10 of game time since Carter Verhaeghe’s tying goal 5:17 into the second period of Game 3.

Toronto’s Auston Matthews has zero goals in his past five games, which ties the longest goalless drought of his playoff career (other occurrences were in 2021 and 2023).

Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz is likely out for Game 6, turning the crease back over to Joseph Woll, who gave up five goals on 25 shots in Game 5.

Öcal’s three stars from Thursday

The likely Vezina Trophy winner made 22 saves in a 4-0 win, which is his second straight home shutout in this series.

Scheifele scored the opening goal in Game 5 and added an assist on Nikolaj Ehlers’ power-play goal in the second. He now has three goals in potential elimination games, which is the most in Thrashers/Jets 2.0 franchise history.

Andersen has been great for the Canes. He gave up just one goal on 19 shots in the series-clinching win over the Capitals, and allowed just six goals total in the Hurricanes’ five games against Washington.

Thursday’s recaps

Carolina Hurricanes 3, Washington Capitals 1
CAR wins 4-1, plays winner of TOR-FLA

With a spot in the Eastern Conference finals on the line for Carolina — and a continuation to at least Game 6 the motivation for the Capitals — the two teams battled in an inspired contest. Canes captain Jordan Staal got on the board first, but Washington’s Anthony Beauvillier answered four minutes later. The teams remained tied 1-1 until less than two minutes remaining when Andrei Svechnikov fired one past Logan Thompson. With the net empty, the Caps could not get the equalizer, and Seth Jarvis sealed the deal with an empty-netter with 27 seconds to play. Carolina now awaits the winner of Maple Leafs-Panthers in the conference finals. Full recap.

Seth Jarvis’ goal secures series win for Canes

Seth Jarvis notches a clutch goal to to secure the series win over the Capitals.

Winnipeg Jets 4, Dallas Stars 0
DAL leads 3-2 | Game 6 Saturday

Needing a win to remain alive, the Jets got an emphatic one, backstopped by a 22-save shutout by Connor Hellebuyck. Mark Scheifele got Winnipeg on the board first, with his fourth goal of the playoffs at 6:17 of the second period. Nikolaj Ehlers added a power-play tally 2:20 into the third, with Vladislav Namestnikov joining the party at 12:07. With the net empty for Dallas, Ehlers added an empty-netter to cap things off and send Winnipeg fans home happy. Dallas has another chance to finish the series off at home Saturday — if not, Game 7 will be Monday, back in Winnipeg. Full recap.