The first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs wrapped up on Sunday night, leaving no time for fans to rest as the second round is scheduled to begin immediately on Monday.
The initial series of the second round features the last two surviving teams from the Atlantic Division: the Florida Panthers traveling to face the Toronto Maple Leafs. Game 1 is set for 8 p.m. ET.
This preview includes a look at the statistical insights for the game, a recap of Sunday`s single playoff contest, and an assessment of the top three performers from the first round.
Matchup Notes
Florida Panthers at Toronto Maple Leafs
Game 1 | 8 p.m. ET
ESPN BET has listed the Florida Panthers as the favorites for the series with odds of -175, while the Toronto Maple Leafs are given odds of +150 to win the series against the reigning Stanley Cup champions.
During the regular season, the Panthers took the series lead 3-1, outscoring the Leafs by a combined total of 13-7. A key factor in those four games was the effectiveness of the Panthers` power play, which converted 5 out of 11 opportunities (45.5%). In contrast, Toronto`s power play was successful on only 1 out of 9 chances (11.1%).
This upcoming series marks the second time these clubs will meet in the postseason; their previous encounter also occurred in the second round in 2023. Florida eliminated Toronto in five games, culminating in an overtime victory in Game 5, with Nick Cousins scoring the decisive goal.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Steven Lorentz, and Anthony Stolarz were all part of the 2024 Panthers team that lifted the Stanley Cup. It is a rare occurrence in NHL history for three players to face a team with whom they won the Cup the previous season. The only other recorded instance was in 1989, when Los Angeles Kings teammates Wayne Gretzky, Mike Krushelnyski, and Marty McSorley played against their former team, the Edmonton Oilers.
The Panthers have achieved more playoff wins (39) since 2021 than they accumulated in their first 26 seasons combined (19). Their total of 39 victories and 66 games played in the postseason since 2021 lead the entire NHL.
Florida`s all-time postseason goal-scoring leaderboard is currently dominated by their active players, who occupy the top four positions: Carter Verhaeghe (28), Sam Reinhart (23), Aleksander Barkov (20), and Matthew Tkachuk (20).
This season marks the ninth consecutive postseason appearance for the Maple Leafs, the longest active streak in the NHL and tied for the second-longest in the franchise`s history. The only other nine-year streak for the Leafs concluded in 1967 with a Stanley Cup championship.
Toronto`s captain, Auston Matthews, is tied with Darryl Sittler for seventh place in franchise history for playoff goals, having scored 25. His next goal will move him into a tie for fifth place alongside Steve Thomas and George Armstrong. Wendel Clark holds the franchise record with 34 playoff goals.
Arda`s Three Stars from Round 1
1. Mikko Rantanen
RW, Dallas Stars
Rantanen contributed 12 points in the first round, playing a crucial role in the Stars` elimination of the Avalanche, his former team. Along the way, he achieved several personal playoff firsts, including a notable third-period hat trick in Game 7, now known as `The Rantanen Game`.
2. Connor McDavid
C, Edmonton Oilers
McDavid significantly impacted the series against the Kings, especially in the early games, often carrying the team. He finished the series with 11 points as the Oilers defeated Los Angeles in the first round for the fourth consecutive season.
3. Logan Thompson
G, Washington Capitals
The goaltender for the Capitals delivered strong performances, allowing two goals or fewer in four of their five games against the Canadiens and achieving a .922 save percentage for the series.
Sunday`s Score
Winnipeg Jets 4, St. Louis Blues 3 (2OT)
Winnipeg wins series 4-3, advances to play Dallas in Round 2
The Blues quickly established a 2-0 lead in the first period with goals from Jordan Kyrou and Mathieu Joseph, leading some observers to fear another difficult playoff outcome for Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck. While the Jets got on the board in the second period through Cole Perfetti, Blues center Radek Faksa scored in the final minute of the period, giving St. Louis a 3-1 advantage heading into the third.
St. Louis held onto that lead until the last two minutes of regulation, when the Jets staged a dramatic rally. Vladislav Namestnikov scored at 18:04, followed by Cole Perfetti deflecting in the game-tying goal with only three seconds remaining. The intense battle continued through the first 36 minutes of overtime before Adam Lowry successfully tipped Neal Pionk`s shot from the point past Jordan Binnington, securing the series-clinching victory for Winnipeg. Read the full recap.
