In a crucial Game 6 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Toronto Maple Leafs pulled off a 2-0 win against the Florida Panthers, setting the stage for an exciting Game 7 in their second-round series. And, you know what? Goaltender Joseph Woll really shined out there, stopping all 22 shots that came his way and grabbing his first career postseason shutout. Even after that, Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk kept showing off his aggressive style of play.

In the closing moments of the game, Tkachuk got into a bit of a tussle near the Maple Leafs’ net, which sparked a short scuffle with Woll. Even though things were pretty tense, they didn’t hand out any penalties. But wait, there’s more!

On X, B/R Open Ice reported this, stating, “Joseph Woll becomes the first Leafs goaltender since CuJo to post a shutout when facing elimination.” Pretty impressive, right? Woll’s achievement is pretty significant—it’s the first time a Maple Leafs goalie has pulled off a shutout in an elimination game since Curtis Joseph did it back in 2002.

Honestly, Joseph Woll’s performance in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs has really been a key part of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ strength during the postseason. After Anthony Stolarz got injured, Woll stepped up into the starting role and has shown some impressive calmness and skill when the pressure’s on. So, the game stayed scoreless for the first two periods, and both teams really showed off their solid defense.

In the third period, Auston Matthews finally got things rolling with his first goal of the NHL playoffs series, and then Max Pacioretty put the cherry on top with an empty-net goal to seal the win. The Maple Leafs made it clear that they’re still in the series. So, heading into Game 7, Toronto’s feeling a bit different than Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk.

On a whole different strategy compared to Matthew Tkachuk

“I think we’ve got to start looking for more sticks. We’ve got some great scores and some great shooters in here, but they’ve got some great defense and obviously a great goalie right now,” Matthew Tkachuk shared his thoughts during the post-match press conference. “Not many times in this part of the season are you going to beat guys clean from the outside. You’ve got to get traffic in front, but I think we’ve got to start looking for more sticks and looking for more indirects and some plays around the net, but we’ve got to be there for that to happen. We’ve got to get more guys at the net.”

Tkachuk is really focused on Game 7. For sure, they’ve got a Stanley Cup to defend, and getting knocked out in Round 2 definitely wouldn’t sit well. Tkachuk really showed off his confidence in the Panthers locker room. But he’s all set to play some dirty hockey. He’s got some solid plans for Game 7. So, you know Chucky, right? The Panthers forward isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty on the ice when it counts, and he’s totally okay with that.

But you know what? The vibe in the Toronto Maple Leafs locker room is totally different. Head coach Craig Berube mentioned, “I think that’s, you know, I mean, it’s, there are big games, obviously, and a lot on the line. I mean, everything’s on the line. You know, we got to, we got to come out in game seven and do the same things we did tonight. It doesn’t, it’s not fancy. It’s just competing. It’s being direct. It’s, you know, simple, simple hockey.”

For Berube, Game 7 is really about keeping things straightforward: winning those puck battles, making smart decisions, and staying calm when the pressure’s on. We’ll just have to wait and see how both teams perform in the high-stakes hockey match.