Panthers praise Marchand: 'He brings so much life and energy'
One game after crediting the Toronto Maple Leafs for being a more resilient squad than years past, Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand twisted the knife against his longtime Atlantic Division foes with some overtime heroics.
Marchand scored the winner in Game 3 to cut Toronto's series lead to 2-1, and his teammates weren't surprised to see him deliver in a clutch moment.
"Obviously, you see what he does on the ice," forward Carter Verhaeghe said, per TSN. "He's such a great player, and he's been around for so long. He's a playoff performer, and he scores big goals at big moments. He's done it all. Won a Stanley Cup. He brings so much life and energy to our group."
Sam Reinhart also touched on what Marchand has brought to Florida since being acquired from the Boston Bruins before the trade deadline.
"His work ethic, he's tenacious, he's hard on the puck. It seems like players like that shine at this time of year," Reinhart said, according to Sportsnet.
Marchand's goal in the extra frame was the 14th game-winning playoff goal of his career, the most among all active skaters. He's now collected 33 points in 31 career postseason contests against the Maple Leafs.
The soon-to-be 37-year-old had a modest four points in 10 regular-season games with the Panthers, but is up to eight points in eight playoff contests so far. Florida acquired the pending free agent for a conditional second-round draft pick in 2027.
Game 4 of the hard-fought series is scheduled for Sunday.