Charles Barkley drops bold prediction for Maple Leafs & Auston Matthews in Game 6 battle against Panthers - "Gonna be a blowout"

The Toronto Maple Leafs suddenly have their backs against the wall in the playoffs. After taking a dominant 2-0 lead, the Maple Leafs then ceded the next three games, including Game 5 at home in embarrassing fashion.

There is a general consensus that it's over for the Maple Leafs, which is a playoff statement that has been uttered a lot over the last few seasons. Despite that, NBA legend Charles Barkley is supremely confident in the Canadian side.

Barkley told Leafs fan and former NHL player Paul Bissonnette:

"I'm so excited about today... Tonight, hey Biz, relax. We're going to win tonight. We're going back to Toronto for Game 7. I'm not sure what happened the other night. It was just bad. Bad, bad, bad. We're going to win Game 6 tonight. My boy Auston Matthews is going to score. It's going to be a blowout, too."

Barkley believes Matthews will return to his usual form and score, leading the Leafs to a dominant victory in Game 6. That's quite a bold prediction, considering the closeout game will take place at Florida's Amerant Bank Arena.

The defending champions, the Florida Panthers, will look to avoid a trip to Toronto at all cost today even though Barkley isn't ready to give up on the season just yet.

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Maple Leafs coach has a promise for Game 6

Craig Berube was disappointed with his team's dismal output in Game 5 against the Florida Panthers. Needing a win to give themselves the lead once again in the series, they fell by five goals.

Craig Berube had a message for the Maple Leafs (Imagn)

Berube said of the Leafs' loss via NHL:

“It’s obviously disappointing for everybody, players included. They want to do well. They want to do the right thing. But sometimes when you go into a game, and it’s a big game, and we’re at home, we overthink things."

He continued:

“You’ve got to trust your structure and your system. That takes care about the thinking. Then, just play. Take the thinking out. Go play. Be aggressive. You can’t not be aggressive. And you have to get numbers in there.”

Game 5 was ugly, but Berube promised that his team would be better in Game 6.