‘Had to be him’: Fans react to Marchand’s OT winner vs. Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs were oh so close to a commanding 3-0 series lead over the Florida Panthers on Friday night, but alas, an all too familiar foe dashed their Game 3 dreams.

Brad Marchand put an end to the pivotal tilt in Sunrise, Fla., after his shot at the 15:27 mark of overtime bounced its way behind Toronto goaltender Joseph Woll and into the net.

His winner punctuated a resilient Panthers effort that required overcoming deficits of 2-0 and 3-1 to avoid the prospect of a second-round sweep heading into Game 4 on Sunday. It was just the 11th time a team has pulled off a multi-goal comeback to avoid a 3-0 deficit in the last 40 years, according to the NHL.

And as many know, Marchand is no stranger to the Maple Leafs, or to causing them an abundance of frustration. Through his 16-year career, and counting Friday’s OT ender, the 36-year-old has racked up 33 playoff points against Toronto — the third-most all-time and two off second place.

Marchand was dealt to the defending champions in a trade-deadline move, and it’s safe to say the Panthers have gotten what they hoped for when acquiring the former Stanley Cup winner at the low cost of a conditional second-round pick. He’s been a point-per-game player through the 2025 playoffs and is now up to four points in three games against Toronto.

Here are some of the best reactions to Marchand’s Game 3 winner that undoubtedly got on the nerves of Leafs fans everywhere.