Panthers await opponent as Leafs force Game 7 against Bruins

The Florida Panthers will have to wait a few more days before they can begin their second-round playoff series. 

On Thursday night, the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Boston Bruins 2-1 — forcing a winner takes all Game 7, Saturday in Boston.

William Nylander scored both of Toronto’s goals while Boston got on the board with just 0.1 seconds left in the game.

Florida will face the winner of the Leafs – Bruins series round 2, with Games 1 and 2 at home in Sunrise. 

Despite still not knowing their next opponent, the Panthers are more than familiar with both squads. 

The Panthers knocked the Bruins out in seven games in the first round last season before doing the same to the Leafs in just five games the next round. 

“The other teams, their personnel changed a bit (from last year), but the basics of their games haven’t changed,” Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said on Thursday. “Neither have ours, we got no secrets.” 

Entering Saturday’s Game 7, Boston finds themselves in an awfully similar situation to what they faced last year against Florida.

Like last year, the Bruins held a 3-1 series lead to the Leafs, with a chance to win the series at home in Game 5. Toronto — as Florida did — defeated the Bruins in overtime, shifting the series back to their home barn.

Boston has lost a first round Game 6, on the road, in back-to-back seasons and will need to prevent a repeat of last year if they don’t want another early summer. 

The NHL announced on Thursday that Game 1 between the Panthers and the winner of Leafs-Bruins will be on Monday, May 6 in Sunrise

As the Atlantic Division winners, Florida will have the home-ice advantage in the second round, whether it’s Boston or Toronto who land in Fort Lauderdale on Sunday morning.