FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. >> Before every series, Florida coach Paul Maurice talks to his team about what they need to do along the way to get ready for Game 7.

The reason: If a series goes the distance — like this NHL second-round matchup with the Toronto Maple Leafs has — he doesn’t want his club to be surprised.

“You want to win in four. You do, 100%,” Maurice said Saturday. “But the Game 7s, you’ll remember. Those are the ones. There’s not a lot of them. The further into the playoffs, the more intense they are. But there’s a freedom in Game 7 that’s not anywhere else.”

Welcome to freedom. Game 7 awaits.

A spot in the NHL’s final four is at stake Sunday night in Toronto, when the Panthers and Maple Leafs play the deciding game of their Eastern Conference semifinal series. The winner will face Carolina in the East final; the loser goes into the offseason.

“It’s an opportunity to make a name for ourselves again,” Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk said. “We enjoy these games and we enjoy these moments.”

And why wouldn’t they? The last time the Panthers played a Game 7, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman handed Florida captain Aleksander Barkov the Stanley Cup. There’s no Cup at stake on Sunday, just a chance to move one round closer to winning hockey’s greatest prize.

“When I was growing up and all the people that I knew growing up, they always dreamed about a Game 7,” Toronto coach Craig Berube said. “They’re big games obviously, and a lot on the line. I mean, everything’s on the line.”

Florida is trying to get to the conference finals for a third consecutive season. Toronto is trying to get there for the first time since 2002.

For the Panthers, Sunday represents a chance to continue defense of the title. For the Leafs, it’s a chance to avoid heading into another summer with the “same old Leafs” tag that has dogged the franchise in plenty of playoff flameouts over the years.

“Yes, we feel the pressure, obviously,” Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad said. “But the motivation, the pride that you have coming to the rink … it’s second to none. It’s a full body tingling experience when you get off the ice for the first time.”

Stars 2, Jets 1, OT >> Thomas Harley scored on a power play 1:33 into overtime and Dallas advanced to the Western Conference final for the third season in a row, beating top-seeded Winnipeg in Game 6.

Mark Scheifele scored for the Jets hours after the unexpected death of his father, but also had the tripping penalty with 14.8 seconds left in regulation that set up Dallas to start overtime with a man advantage.

Sam Steel, who had scored earlier for Dallas, was on a break when Scheifele lunged forward desperately trying to make a play when he tripped up the forward at the blue line. The Stars called a timeout, but missed a shot and had another one blocked before the end of regulation.

The Stars move on to face Edmonton in the West final for the second year in a row, and will host Game 1.