By Basil Stroh

FRIDAY’S SLATE HAS REIGNING CHAMPS BACK HOME, RED-HOT RANTANEN

Stanley Cup Playoffs action continues on Friday with a pair of contests, opening with the defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers looking for their first win of the series back on home ice against the Maple Leafs and Mikko Rantanen, coming off back-to-back hat tricks, looking to lead the Stars to a 2-0 series lead with consecutive road wins.

* After winning the first two games on home ice – both by a one-goal margin – the Maple Leafs head to Florida aiming to take a 3-0 lead in consecutive series. Toronto can take multiple best-of-seven 3-0 series leads in a single postseason for the first time in 77 years – its only other occurrence was in 1948.

* Toronto can also become the first team in over a decade, and sixth in NHL history, to take a 3-0 series lead against the defending Stanley Cup champions. The five teams to achieve the feat to date hold a 5-0 series record: Vancouver (2011 CQF: 4-3 W vs. CHI), Anaheim (2003 CQF: 4-0 W vs. DET), Philadelphia (1995 CSF: 4-0 W vs. NYR), Montreal (1976 SCF: 4-0 W vs. PHI) and Detroit (1952 SF: 4-0 W vs. TOR).

* The Panthers hit the ice at Amerant Bank Arena for the first time in two weeks and will look to earn the seventh consecutive victory by a defending Stanley Cup champion in a Game 3 when facing a 2-0 series deficit. The reigning champions have come back to win three of the last six series after losing the first two games: Tampa Bay in the 2022 Conference Finals, Chicago in the 2014 First Round and Los Angeles in the 2013 Conference Quarterfinals.

* The Jets are 4-1 at Canada Life Centre in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs as they look to even their series with the Stars on home ice in Game 2. Winnipeg has not lost consecutive home games since Jan. 2-4 (0-1-1).

* Mikko Rantanen, who can become the first player in NHL history to post a hat trick in three straight games, is one of four players in Stanley Cup Playoffs history to record 14 points over a four-game span alongside Wayne Gretzky (1987, 1985 & 1983), Leon Draisaitl (2022) and Rick Middleton (1983). Only five players in the 107-year history of the League have amassed 15 or more points across five games in one postseason: Draisaitl, Gretzky and Middleton in the years noted above, plus Mario Lemieux (1992) and Jari Kurri (1988).

COURTESY NHL PUBLIC RELATIONS