Florida Panthers Lead Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 in NHL Eastern Conference Semifinals

The Florida Panthers took a commanding 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Toronto Maple Leafs after a 6-1 rout in Game 5, with goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky making 31 saves and three Florida defensemen scoring. The Panthers' scoring spree included key contributions from Jesper Boqvist, Aaron Ekblad, Dmitry Kulikov, and Niko Mikkola, while Toronto's Nicholas Robertson ended the team's 143-minute scoring drought late in the third period. The Maple Leafs have faced criticism for underperformance, especially from stars Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews, with former player Jay Rosehill urging them to improve their impact as the series nears a pivotal Game 6, scheduled for May 16 in Sunrise, Florida. Injuries and lineup changes have affected Toronto, such as Boqvist returning to the lineup due to Evan Rodrigues' injury. The Game 6 matchup will be broadcast on multiple networks in the U.S. and Canada, highlighting the high stakes as the Panthers look to close the series. Overall, the Panthers are showing strong momentum while the Maple Leafs must respond to avoid elimination.