The conference final round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is now determined following a decisive Game 7 matchup between the Florida Panthers and the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday night. The Panthers continued their pursuit of a second consecutive Stanley Cup championship, emerging from Scotiabank Arena with a commanding 6-1 victory over the Maple Leafs. This victory sets the stage for the Panthers to compete against the Carolina Hurricanes for a chance to secure a place in the Stanley Cup Final.

The upcoming playoff schedule features critical matchups in both the Eastern and Western Conferences. The Eastern Conference will see the Panthers face off against the Hurricanes, with Game 1 scheduled for Tuesday, May 20, at 8 p.m. ET. The series will continue with Game 2 at the same time and date shortly after. Meanwhile, in the Western Conference, the Edmonton Oilers will take on the Dallas Stars, also starting their series on May 21 at 8 p.m. ET. The future games in both conferences will be determined by the outcomes of these early contests.

In the decisive Game 7, both teams were held scoreless in the first period, although the Panthers displayed aggressive play, recording 20 shot attempts within the initial six minutes while the Maple Leafs had none. Despite a promising opportunity for Toronto's William Nylander, goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky successfully deflected the shot, preserving the score at 0-0. The atmosphere was charged, leading to notable moments such as referee Chris Rooney exiting the game due to an inadvertent high stick. Seth Jones eventually broke the deadlock in the second period with a goal off an assist from Evan Rodrigues. Following additional goals, including one from Anton Lundell and another from Jonah Gadjovich, the Panthers established a significant lead. Although Max Domi's goal early in the third period provided brief hope for Toronto, the Panthers quickly retaliated, solidifying their victory with additional goals. The Maple Leafs continue to seek their first conference final appearance since 2002, while the Panthers prepare for their upcoming series against the Hurricanes.