With Game 7 on the horizon, the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs are gearing up for a big showdown in the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and it’s becoming pretty obvious how different these two teams really are. The Leafs are looking to break Canada’s decades long cup drought and their own 56 year cup drought, while the Panthers are looking to complete the double. So with the stakes sky high, Matthew Tkachuk, the star of the Panthers, was pretty straightforward about what it’s going to take to take down the Maple Leafs.

“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,” the Panthers forward mentioned 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.”

Matthew Tkachuk’s comments really highlight how Florida might need to lean into what certain individuals might label as dirty hockey. We’re talking about tips, screens, deflections, and those gritty rebounds to get past Toronto’s tough defense. Tkachuk’s comments also show a rising concern with Florida’s struggle to create clear scoring opportunities.

It’s clear that just relying on high-skill shooting isn’t going to cut it against a disciplined Toronto team that has only given up two goals in the last two games. If the Panthers want to move forward, they really need to step up their offense in the trenches, and that’s definitely something Tkachuk can handle with ease. He’s always been about that physical play, stirring things up, and showing off his creativity in those tight spots.

Now, he’s asking his teammates to join him in that messy part of the ice. But the Maple Leafs’ coach is approaching Game 7 with a totally different mindset.

The opposite of what Matthew Tkachuk is going to do

Matthew Tkachuk is looking forward to some indirect plays in the NHL playoffs. On the flip side, Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube is sticking to his guns, believing that winning Game 7 isn’t about being flashy or chaotic. It’s all about execution and discipline. “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,” said Toronto’s coach.

Berube really highlighted how crucial it is to play simple, structured hockey—it’s been a key factor in Toronto’s comeback in the series. For Berube, Game 7 is all about keeping it simple: winning those puck battles, making smart choices, and staying cool under pressure. With the stakes at an all-time high, the different strategies really set the scene for an exciting Game 7.

Tkachuk and the Panthers seem set to shake things up in the crease and throw off the rhythm, while Berube and the Maple Leafs are looking to keep the game under control with some clear and consistent play. It doesn’t matter if it’s the raw creativity of Florida or the steady approach of Toronto that takes the lead; one thing’s for sure—this Game 7 is going to be an epic showdown of playoff styles.

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