Auston Matthews scored the winning goal during the third period as the Maple Leafs blanked the reigning Stanley Cup champions to evade elimination and force the first Game 7 of the Second Round.
* Joseph Woll recorded his first career postseason shutout and became the first Toronto goaltender in nearly 23 years with a one while facing elimination.
* Winnipeg looks to build off a shutout victory and force the fourth Game 7 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs when its Second Round series shifts back to Dallas tonight. The contest is available on ABC and ESPN+ in the U.S. as well as on Sportsnet, CBC and TVA Sports in Canada.
MATTHEWS, MARNER CONNECT ON WINNER AS MAPLE LEAFS FORCE GAME 7
Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner connected on the winning goal while Joseph Woll turned aside all 22 shots he faced as Toronto bounced back from a 6-1 loss to force Game 7 in its Second Round series with Florida. Click here for everything you need to know about the third winner-take-all showdown of the postseason, which takes place at Scotiabank Arena tomorrow (7:30 p.m. ET on TNT, truTV, Max, SN, CBC, TVAS).
* Matthews became the second Maple Leafs captain with a winning goal while facing elimination, following Darryl Sittler in Game 6 of the 1976 Quarterfinals. Matthews scored his second career winner in a potential elimination contest (also Game 4 of 2020 SCQ), which trails only Charlie Conacher (4) and Lanny McDonald (3) for the most in franchise history.
* Marner assisted on one of Matthews’ postseason goals for the 12th time in his career to pass Doug Gilmour (11x on goals by Dave Andreychuk) and George Armstrong (11x on goals by Dave Keon) for the third-most helpers on tallies scored by one teammate in franchise playoff history. The list is topped by Syl Apps (14x on goals by Gordie Drillon) and Sittler (13x on goals by McDonald).
* Woll recorded his first career playoff shutout and became the first Toronto goaltender with one while facing elimination since Curtis Joseph in Game 5 of the 2002 Conference Finals. Woll improved to 4-1 in five career potential elimination contests with a 1.13 goals-against average and .957 save percentage.
* WATCH HERE for full highlights from Maple Leafs-Panthers Game 6.
QUICK CLICKS
* Andrei Svechnikov breakout coming at right time for Hurricanes
* Stars seek to advance with more home success in Game 6
* Maple Leafs, Panthers to play Game 7 for trip to Eastern Conference Final
* NHL announces start time for potential Game 7 between Stars, Jets
* 2025 NHL Awards Interactive Information Guide
JETS NEED TO FORCE GAME 7 TO STAY IN FIGHT FOR STANLEY CUP
The Jets will face elimination for the second straight game and this time will need to win on the road – something they’ve yet to do so far this postseason – to force a Game 7 and remain in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, while the Stars will have another opportunity to advance to the Western Conference Final. Should Winnipeg earn the win, it would set up the second straight Game 7 for both clubs.
* Winnipeg and Dallas both needed a Game 7 to advance to the Second Round – the Jets have never played multiple Game 7s in a postseason, while the Stars have done so once when the franchise was known as the Minnesota North Stars (2 in 1968). The last team with multiple in a playoff year was the 2024 Oilers, who played in a winner-take-all contest in the Second Round and Stanley Cup Final (1-1). The last team to win multiple Game 7s in one year was the Rangers (2-0 in 2022) and the last Cup winner with multiple Game 7 victories was the Blues (2-0 in 2019).
* Connor Hellebuyck, who is coming off of a shutout performance, will aim to earn his fourth career victory in a game when facing elimination and win consecutive contests when facing elimination for the first time in his career. He’ll be doing so against his former 4 Nations Face-Off goalie tandem partner and current Stars netminder Jake Oettinger, who owns a 17-6 record in games following a loss within a single postseason.
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* Winnipeg enters Game 6 at American Airlines Center with one win in its past 11 playoff road games (1-10; 0-4 this year). Since the 16-team playoff format was introduced in 1980, only one team has made it past the second round despite losing four straight road contests within the first two rounds – the 2002 Maple Leafs had an 0-4 stretch as visitors before securing a spot in the Conference Finals.
NHL PODCASTS WEEKLY ROUNDUP
* 100% Hockey with Millard & Shannon (May 16): Joel Quenneville on His Return to Coaching and What’s Ahead for Anaheim
* Energy Line with Nate and JSB (May 16): Jeremy Roenick discusses Maple Leafs-Panthers, playoffs, making the Hall of Fame
* NHL Unscripted with Virk and Demers (May 15): Tyson Nash has his tusks up: Leafs fall flat, Oilers advance and some big coaching hires
* La Tasse de Café LNH (May 15): La joie à Edmonton, la panique à Toronto
* NHL Fantasy on Ice (May 15): 2nd round surprises, Games 5-7 picks, Conn Smythe race
* 100% Hockey with Millard & Shannon (May 14): From Boston to St. Louis: Jim Montgomery on Coaching, Growth, and the Year That Was
* NHL @TheRink (May 14): Mike Zeisberger joins; Tkachuk shines, Hurricanes rolling, Quenneville joins Ducks
* NHL Draft Class (May 13): J-F Damphousse, NHL Central Scouting; QMJHL top prospects
* Never Offside with Julie and Cat (May 13): Emily Karlsson joins; Behind Wild Bill, Vegas hockey, Stella meet world
* Energy Line with Nate and JSB (May 13): Brian Boyle discusses Maple Leafs-Panthers series, Hurricanes surprising Capitals
* NHL Unscripted with Virk and Demers (May 12): Thomas Hickey is pumped about his Isles: Panthers and Leafs are all even, a brutal Oilers bounce and Mamet’s latest.
* 100% Hockey with Millard & Shannon (May 12): Alec Martinez: Stepping Away from Hockey & Stepping Into Fatherhood
