The conference final round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs has been finalized following a decisive Game 7 matchup between the Florida Panthers and the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday night. The Panthers, aiming to capture the Stanley Cup for a second consecutive year, triumphed with a commanding 6-1 victory over the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena. With this victory, Florida is set to face off against the Carolina Hurricanes for a chance to reach the Stanley Cup Final.

In the playoff schedule ahead, Game 1 will see the Florida Panthers visiting the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, May 20 at 8 p.m. ET. Following that, the teams will meet for Game 2 on the same day, followed by Games 3 and 4 taking place in Florida on May 22 and May 24, respectively. The schedule continues with potential Games 5, 6, and 7 if necessary, ranging from May 26 to June 1. In the Western Conference, the Edmonton Oilers will begin their series against the Dallas Stars on Wednesday, May 21, with multiple matchups scheduled throughout the week.

In terms of the recent clash between the Panthers and Maple Leafs, both teams entered the second period scoreless. However, the Panthers demonstrated significant aggression early in the game, launching 20 shot attempts compared to the Maple Leafs, who did not manage any in the first six minutes. William Nylander of the Maple Leafs nearly broke the deadlock but was thwarted by Panthers' goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. The intensity of the match escalated further when referee Chris Rooney was forced to exit the game due to an accidental injury. The scoring was initiated by Seth Jones in the second period, followed by Anton Lundell, extending the lead to 3-0 before the end of the period. Max Domi briefly narrowed the gap for Toronto in the third, but Florida reasserted control, ultimately sealing their victory with goals from Eetu Luostarinen, Sam Reinhart, and an empty-netter by Brad Marchand.