OTTAWA -- Max Pacioretty broke a tie with 5:39 remaining in the third period for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who eliminated the Ottawa Senators with a 4-2 win in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday.

The Maple Leafs advanced to take on the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Panthers beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games in their first-round series.

With the Maple Leafs at risk of blowing a 3-0 series lead, they beat the Senators 4-2 to make the second round for the first time since 2023 against the Tampa Bay Lightning and just the second time since 2004, the last time they faced the Senators in the playoffs.