The Florida Panthers will face off against the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight at Amerant Bank Arena as part of a continuing six-game homestand. Both teams currently sit at the bottom of the Atlantic Division with 25 points, making this matchup critical for their playoff aspirations.
The Panthers are coming off a disappointing 5-3 loss to the Calgary Flames, during which they squandered a two-goal lead for the second time in as many games. Florida started strong with goals from Evan Rodrigues and Sam Bennett just minutes into the match but fell victim to a four-goal run from the Flames. Although Brad Marchand scored to narrow the deficit late in the game, an empty-net goal from Joel Farabee sealed Florida’s fate. Forward Jack Studnicka was recalled from Charlotte and may make his debut with the Panthers tonight.
Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs seek to build on a recent momentum boost from a decisive 7-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins, which marked only their third win in the last ten games. Former Panther Oliver Ekman-Larsson has been particularly impressive, extending his career-best point streak to nine games with a goal and two assists in the recent win. Other goal scorers for Toronto in that lineup included Easton Cowan, Bobby McMann, Dakota Joshua, Nicolas Roy, Auston Matthews, and Nick Robertson. Following their game against Florida, the Maple Leafs will finish their six-game road trip against the Carolina Hurricanes.
The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. ET, with the game available via ESPN+ and Hulu. Fans can also catch the action on local radio stations 104.3 WQAM, 106.3 ESPN, and Thunder 100.3.
This contest marks the first of four meetings between the two teams this season, following Florida’s last successful matchup which concluded with the Panthers winning 3-1 against Toronto on April 8, 2025. In goal, the Panthers are expected to start Sergei Bobrovsky, while the Maple Leafs will have Joseph Woll in net.
With both teams eager to turn their seasons around, tonight’s matchup promises to be intense as they vie for crucial points in the standings.