WATCH: Leafs fans chant ‘We want Florida!’ after reaching Round 2 originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Toronto Maple Leafs have reached the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2004, and their fans are already terrified of the possibility that the Boston Bruins might be their next opponent.
The Leafs’ drought finally ended Saturday night when John Tavares scored in overtime of Game 6 against the Tampa Bay Lightning to seal Toronto’s first playoff series triumph in nearly 20 years.
Bruins should make these lineup changes entering Game 7 vs. Panthers
Leafs fans, as you might imagine, were going crazy at Maple Leaf Square in Toronto during the aftermath of the team’s victory. These fans also revealed which opponent they would rather the Leafs face in Round 2.
And it’s not the Bruins.
Check out the scene from Maple Leaf Square from Saturday night:
The winner of Sunday’s Game 7 between the Bruins and Florida Panthers will play the Leafs in the second round. If the Bruins win, they’ll have home ice advantage. If the Panthers win, the Leafs would have home ice advantage in Round 2.
But the real reason Leafs fans want no part of the Bruins is their playoff history. The B’s defeated the Leafs in the first round of the 2013, 2018 and 2019 playoffs. The Bruins play very well against the Leafs in the regular season, too, including a 3-1-0 record in the 2022-23 season series. The Bruins also are the league’s best team and set records for the most wins and points in a season. The Panthers, for many reasons, are a much more favorable matchup for the Leafs.
A fourth Bruins-Leafs playoff series in 10 years would be fun, but for that to happen, Boston must eliminate a resilient Panthers squad Sunday at TD Garden. Puck drop is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET.
