The Florida Panthers are gearing up for what should be one heck of a night.
Sunday will be Game 7 between the Panthers and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
It will be the biggest hockey game played in Toronto in decades, and Scotiabank Arena will be an absolute madhouse.
For the Panthers, they have been through these kind of stressful postseason situations several times over the past few years.
That experience goes a long way when it comes to preparing for a winner-take-all Game 7.
“From going through it together countless times, it’s comforting,” said Panthers forward Sam Reinhart. “You know what you’re going to expect out of the guy next to you, and that’s his best at a time like this. We’re excited for another opportunity to play in another big game like this.”
"The messages, chemistry, intensity and how we prepare for it is all the same,” added Cats defenseman Aaron Ekblad. “Nothing changes. It’s getting our bodies ready and feeling the best we can coming into it.”
Don’t be surprised to see a bit of a different look when the Panthers take the ice.
Florida Head Coach Paul Maurice rarely tweaks the roster after playoff wins, but he will often use losses to move players in and out of the lineup.
The infusion of players like Evan Rodrigues, who has been day-to-day while battling an injury, and skilled rookie Mackie Samoskevich, could provide a boost to the Cats.
Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Game 6 against the Maple Leafs:
Evan Rodrigues – Sasha Barkov – Sam Reinhart
Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Brad Marchand
Mackie Samoskevich – Nico Sturm – Jesper Boqvist
Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad
Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones
Nate Schmidt – Dmitry Kulikov
Scratches: A.J. Greer, Uvis Balinskis, Tomas Nosek, Jonah Gadjovich, Jaycob Megna
LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA
Should Panthers beat Toronto in Game 7, Eastern Conference Final begins Tuesday in Raleigh
Three takeaways: Panthers struggle getting shots through, Leafs penalty kill shuts Cats down
Panthers falter on home ice, heading back to Toronto for Game 7
Panthers Forward Has Powerful Message For Game 6
Photo caption: Photo caption: May 14, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Florida Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen (27) and defenseman Seth Jones (3) congratulate defenseman Niko Mikkola (77) on his goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period of game five of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images