Panthers Win OT Game 3 Over Maple Leafs in Playoff Series

Brad Marchand scored the overtime winner in Game 3 of the NHL second-round playoff series, leading the Florida Panthers to a 5-4 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs and keeping their season alive. Marchand’s goal came late in overtime when the puck deflected off Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly, marking Marchand’s fourth career playoff overtime goal, ranking him fourth among active players. The Panthers rallied from a 3-1 second-period deficit with key goals from Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, and Jonah Gadjovich, while Sergei Bobrovsky made 27 saves to stifle the Leafs’ offense. Despite early dominance by Toronto, including goals from John Tavares and Matthew Knies, the Leafs struggled to maintain their lead as Florida’s comeback shifted momentum. Marchand, who has been a persistent thorn for the Leafs over the years, has now accumulated 33 points in 31 playoff games against Toronto, placing him third in all-time scoring against the franchise. The Leafs still lead the series 2-1, with Game 4 set to take place in Sunrise, Florida.