TORONTO (AP) — Florida Panthers newcomer Brad Marchand felt very much at home beating up an old foe in the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday night.
Marchand scored into an empty net and set up his linemates for two other goals in the Florida Panthers’ 6-1 victory in Game 7 over the team the 37-year-old left wing grew up cheering for.
He became the first player in NHL history to win five Game 7s against one franchise after winning the four previous times with the Boston Bruins. Yes, the menace Toronto fanatics love to hate, got the last laugh — again.
“I grew up a Leafs fan, and I enjoy playing against the Leafs,” Marchand said. “I enjoy interacting with fans. It’s fun. I don’t take myself too seriously. I love getting made fun of and I love making fun of people. If you can’t take it, then so be it. I’m going to enjoy the moments that I have.
“When I come in here and I get booed, I’m good. I’m going to show it. I’m going to enjoy that.”
In a series in which the top two lines on each team cancelled out each other, the Panthers thrived with the depth of Marchand’s third line and the fourth line.
Marchand’s linemates, Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen, each scored. Fourth-liner Jonah Gadjovich also connected.
Marchand was a trade-deadline acquisition. But because he was injured and not playing, it was difficult for the agitator to become acquainted with his new surroundings. But once he started playing, learning the Panthers’ five-player forecheck, the Stanley Cup winner with the 2010-11 Bruins fit right in.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice was thankful that assistant general manager Gregory Campbell had urged Florida to trade for Marchand. The two were longtime Bruins teammates.
“He is an incredibly positive spirit,” Maurice said. “Guys who are vocal and intense sometimes will be screaming on the bench. They get so wired. He never does that.”
Maurice added there is a Marchand effect with youngsters Lundell and Luostarinen.
“He’s affected those guys in such a positive way of thinking about the game, and making plays in small areas and making them feel those two young guys have it in them,” Maurice said.
The veteran coach also kept his perfect Game 7 record intact. He’s 6-0 in Game 7s.
“Game 7s are for the players,” Maurice said. “It doesn’t matter how your hands feel. It doesn’t matter how your body feels. It doesn’t matter how well you execute. If it’s how comfortable you are in hard situations, then you have a chance.”
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AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
