Florida Panthers vs Toronto Maple Leafs Prediction 5/18/25 NHL Picks

The Florida Panthers and the Toronto Maple Leafs meet Sunday in NHL action from the Scotiabank Arena. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a Florida Panthers vs. Toronto Maple Leafs prediction.

Series Recap

The Toronto Maple Leafs were able to force game seven after evening the series up at three wins apiece thanks to their 2-0 triumph over the Panthers in game six. The game was a defensive battle, as the game was scoreless through the first two period and for a good chunk of the third before Auston Matthews broke open the scoring 6:40 into the 3rd with his first goal of the series thanks to Mitch Marner’s assist after a Florida turnover entering the neutral zone. The goal would hold up until the Leafs doubled their advantage after Max Pacioretty buried Bobby McMann’s pass on a 2-on-1 to make it a 2-0 game and despite Florida’s best efforts late, the Maple Leafs would ride out the storm and get the win to make it a winner take all matchup on Sunday.

Panthers Looking To Return To Conference Finals To Continue Title Defense

Sam Reinhart has a team-high 81 points including 39 goals and 42 assists while Sam Bennett has 51 points with 25 goals and 26 assists and Anton Lundell has 45 points of his own with 17 goals and 28 assists. Aleksander Barkov also has 71 points with 51 assists of his own while Carter Verhaeghe has 53 points with 20 goals and 33 assists and Matthew Tkachuk has 57 points with 22 goals and 35 assists. Sergei Bobrovsky is 33-19-2 with a 2.44 GAA and a .906 save percentage in goal for Florida this season. Vitek Vanecek is also 2-4-1 with a 3.00 GAA and an .890 save percentage in goal for the Panthers this year.

Why the Florida Panthers will win

• The Panthers have won four of their last five playoff games when facing elimination.
• The Maple Leafs have lost three of their last four games.
• The road team has covered the puck line in 13 of the Maple Leafs’ last 17 games.
• The Maple Leafs have failed to cover the puck line in three of their last four games at Scotiabank Arena following a road win.

Florida Panthers Player Prop Facts

• Anton Lundell has recorded at least one assist in each of the Panthers’ last six playoff games as road favorites against Atlantic Division opponents.
• Sam Reinhart has scored a goal in each of the Panthers’ last five playoff games when facing elimination.
• Aleksander Barkov has recorded at least one point in each of his last 10 Sunday appearances against Eastern Conference opponents.
• Aleksander Barkov ranks T1st in the league for shootout goals (4) this season.

Maple Leafs Looking For First Conference Finals Appearance Since 2002

Mitch Marner has a team-high 102 points with 27 goals and a team-high 75 assists while William Nylander has 84 points with a team-high 45 goals. John Tavares has 74 points with 38 goals and 36 assists and Auston Matthews has 78 points with 33 goals and 45 assists. Matthew Knies has 58 points with 29 goals while Morgan Rielly has 41 points with 7 goals and 34 assists as well on the year. Anthony Stolarz has gone 21-8-3 on the year in goal for Toronto with a 2.14 GAA and a .926 save percentage while Joseph Woll is 27-14-1 with a 2.73 GAA and a .909 save percentage and Dennis Hildeby has a 3-3 record, a 3.33 GAA and an .878 save percentage.

Why the Toronto Maple Leafs will win

• The Panthers have lost four of their last five games as road favorites following a loss.
• The Maple Leafs have won three of their last four games as home underdogs.
• The underdogs have covered the puck line in 11 of the Panthers’ last 12 games at Scotiabank Arena.
• The Panthers have failed to cover the puck line in each of their last six games as road favorites following a loss.

Toronto Maple Leafs Player Prop Facts

• William Nylander has scored at least one goal in four of the Maple Leafs’ last five playoff games as home underdogs.
• Auston Matthews has recorded a point in eight of the Maple Leafs’ last nine playoff series closeout games.
• Brandon Carlo has recorded an assist in each of his three previous appearances in playoff series closeout games against the Panthers.
• William Nylander ranks T1st in the league for multi-goal games (10) this season.

Total Goals Facts

• Each of the Panthers’ last five games following a loss have gone OVER the total goals line.
• Six of the last seven games between teams from the same division have gone UNDER the total goals line.
• Five of the Maple Leafs’ last six games as underdogs following a road win have gone OVER the total goals line.

Florida Panthers vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Prediction

I’m going to side with the Maple Leafs here. I know the Maple Leafs have a history of folding on the big stage. And game sevens have not been kind to Toronto in the core four era. However, Craig Berube has worked wonders with this team and has been there and done that, and he’s won a stanley cup in a game seven for crying out loud. It only takes one for Toronto to change their narrative. They did it in 2023 when they finally got out of the first round and now have a chance to shift another narrative. Florida is going to come out firing here, but I think the Leafs will be prepared for what’s coming and I do think it’s going to come down to one key goal. It’s going to be tight the entire way, but I will back the Leafs to get it done and send Toronto into a frenzy. Give me the Maple Leafs.