The matchup would be yet another playoff rematch from the past two years when Florida advanced to the Stanley Cup Final.

Sixteen teams in total make the NBA playoffs, eight teams from both the Eastern and Western Conferences. The top six seeds in each conference advance based on the regular season record. The final two seeds in each conference are wild-card spots based on the best remaining records in each conference.

The Florida Panthers have made three Stanley Cup finals appearances in franchise history. Here's how they played out.

The Panthers face a rare multi-game deficit, having not trailed a series by two games since the 2023 Stanley Cup Final. The Florida Panthers are headed back to the Sunshine State in a dark hole.

Florida Panthers center Carter Verhaeghe (23) celebrates after scoring a goal during the second period in Game 3 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series, Friday, May 9, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla against the Toronto Maple Leafs. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier) AP

Florida Panthers official Douglas Cifu blasted a Maple Leafs fan, taking shots at Canada, making incendiary comments on the Israel-Palestine war.

The Florida Panthers tied their second-round playoff series with the Toronto Maple Leafs after two strong games at home. Despite going down 2-0 to open the

You can totally take him for granted,’ Panthers coach Paul Maurice said, ‘which is what happens to all elite goaltenders.’