Max Pacioretty's Message Will Fire Up Maple Leafs Fans for Game 7 - Yahoo Sports
The Toronto Maple Leafs forced a Game 7 on Friday night with a 2-0 shutout win over the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena. Auston Matthews broke his scoring drought with a goal in the third period, and Max Pacioretty added an insurance goal, as Toronto kept its playoff hopes alive.
Joseph Woll made 22 saves for his first career postseason shutout after allowing 13 goals over Games 3 through 5 in place of the injured Anthony Stolarz.
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Pacioretty, a veteran of 88 playoff games, described what lies ahead in simple terms, rallying the Leafs faithful ahead of Game 7.
“We’re going to war,” Pacioretty said.
Matthews scored his first goal of the series midway through the third, taking a pass from Mitch Marner and snapping a shot five-hole past Sergei Bobrovsky.
“I mean, it’s such a huge, huge goal,” Pacioretty said about Matthews' goal. “You know, that’s a situation where no one wants to make a mistake. You could feel the tension on both sides there at that point in the game. And then just an unbelievable shot from an unbelievable player.”
Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Max Pacioretty (67) celebrates after scoring against the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena.Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
The Leafs' captain had gone five games without a goal and returned from an injury scare earlier in the game after getting a stick to the face during a face-off against Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov.
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Pacioretty sealed the Leafs' win just under eight minutes later, finishing a rush with Bobby McMann to silence the Panthers’ crowd for good and send the second-round series to a decisive Game 7.
It was Pacioretty’s third goal of the postseason, his eighth career tally in elimination games, and his 28th overall postseason goal.
Game 7 of the series between the Maple Leafs and Panthers will take place at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET.