Which ought to snap the Toronto Maple Leafs to consideration faster than seeing a fin poking out the Atlantic Ocean throughout a bodysurf session.
Greater than the results of Sunday’s 2-0, series-tying shutout, the way in which the Panthers took it to the unwelcome guests by dictating model and sticking to construction is regarding right here.
The Panthers’ forecheck punished the Leafs early and sometimes. They suffocated the life out of Toronto’s offence and reduce down on these pricey odd-man rushes.
The Cats took a pointy proper hook in Toronto and countered with a weighty left as soon as they acquired the Leafs on their very own turf.
“They’re doing a superb job with swarming us with numbers,” Leafs coach Craig Berube mentioned. “And we acquired to do higher job getting that puck out of there faster.”
Captain Auston Matthews famous how relentlessly the house group sustained offensive-zone stress, which resulted in some undisciplined penalties and too many turnovers on the scary facet of the pink line.
“There was instances the place we have been higher, however I believe simply persistently, over the 60 minutes, they outworked us and outplayed us in that space,” Matthews mentioned.
“They did a superb job conserving us on the skin, and (it was) laborious attending to the within. Letting their goalie see the puck,” William Nylander added. “Yeah, they did an awesome job. I imply, 2-2 sequence. It’s robust battle.”
Just a few elements have been at play right here.
Florida coach Paul Maurice is adjusting to Toronto’s makes an attempt to stretch out the impartial zone and get behind the Panthers’ defence for rush possibilities.
The Maple Leafs dedicated the primary 4 minor penalties of the sport, and Carter Verhaeghe one-timed a power-play aim previous an excellent Joseph Woll whereas Oliver Ekman-Larsson served a puck-over-glass infraction.
“Spend half the sport within the field, it’s laborious to generate momentum,” Matthews mentioned. “It is laborious to generate power and life for the bench, . So, that is on us to be extra disciplined.”
And Sergei Bobrovsky lastly carried out like the long run Corridor of Famer he’s.
“I believe we simply completely take him with no consideration, which occurs to all elite goaltenders,” Maurice mentioned.
Lower than the particular groups or the goaltending battle, although, it was Sunday’s 5-on-5 recreation stream that screamed Florida and had viewers catching flashbacks to the 2024 Cup run.
Low scoring. Onerous hitting. Affected person and punishing.
“That was extra just like the Panthers playoff hockey that have been used to,” mentioned Sam Bennett, who scored the insurance coverage aim.
Whereas the Leafs’ center six was outshot at even-strength to an unsightly diploma (14-3), we’ve reached the purpose within the post-season the place there is no such thing as a denying that the Maple Leafs want extra from Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner.
“We knew it wasn’t gonna be straightforward,” Matthews mentioned. “We’re enjoying the defending Cup champs.”
Matthews doesn’t have a aim within the sequence. Marner had the Recreation 2 winner, a knuckler from distance. There may be the standard speak of sturdy defensive play and getting snakebit, however sustained stretches of offensive dominance are missing.
“There’s guys that would do extra, for certain, and when we’ll want extra out of them,” mentioned Berube, with out naming names. “We’ll determine that out and deal with that.”
Maurice urged the league may deal with Max Domi’s boarding of Panthers star Aleksander Barkov on the buzzer, which sparked a sequence of scrums and threats.
“Making an attempt to take a run at Barky on the finish there.,” Bennett mentioned. “It’s been a bodily sequence, so I count on extra of that.”
(Barkov is ok, in response to his coach; Evan Rodrigues wants additional analysis from successful he took from Ekman-Larsson.)
Matthew Tkachuk appeared to say he’d be going after Nylander in Recreation 5. Matthew Knies appeared to recommend Tkachuk tackle him as a substitute.
“Simply speaking. It’s what he does,” Nylander says. He’ll in all probability do no matter he can to get a participant off their recreation. However subsequent one’s gonna be a enjoyable one.”
They are saying a sequence doesn’t actually start till the highway group wins.
Effectively, we’re nonetheless ready.
“We’re each resilient, which is making for an awesome sequence,” says Brad Marchand.
And now the stress has shifted as soon as extra. It falls on the Maple Leafs to impose their recreation, for his or her superstars to make a better affect right here.
A best-of-three begins Wednesday in Toronto.
“It’s playoff hockey, and really not often it’s going to be a stroll within the park,” Woll mentioned. “We’re anticipating an extended sequence.”
• Berube has been loyal to his bottom-six forwards for almost three weeks, sticking with the identical lineup since Recreation 3 of the Ottawa sequence.
Time for some recent legs and a brand new look thrown on the Cats in Recreation 5.
“For certain we’ll speak about it and have a look at a pair totally different choices and what we predict will likely be greatest for our group,” Berube says. “We acquired a pair days to consider it and see if we really feel that is a greater possibility.”
David Kämpf and Nick Robertson are prepared and keen.
Depth wingers like Calle Järnkrok, Pontus Holmberg, and Bobby McMann (21-game aim drought) haven’t performed properly sufficient to be irreplaceable.
• Simon Benoit’s eight hits tied a recreation excessive. None have been larger than this magnificence on Sam Reinhart:
• Tkachuk nonetheless appears like a person enjoying on half a groin. He’s fantastic as soon as in zone and makes sensible selections on the facility play, however he has no first step and is arriving late to hits on the forecheck.
“I’m feeling bodily nice,” proclaims Tkachuk, who spent the time between 4 Nations and the post-season recovering. “I’m very glad to be on the market. It was a very long time off. I’m simply glad to be on the market with the blokes. There’s nothing higher.”
• Leafs goalie legend Curtis Joseph revealed on Spittin’ Chiclets that he labored behind the scenes with Jack Campbell on psychological preparation for the playoffs in 2021 and 2022.
“Your thoughts is a robust factor, and you’ll speak your self into enjoying properly,” Joseph defined on the podcast. “I’d give him quite a lot of pointers, and he performed nice. That’s enjoyable for me. However this yr, I wasn’t going close to these guys (Woll and Anthony Stolarz). They performed so good.”
A type of factors? “By no means take blame for a loss.”
Regardless of the stress and elevated expectations, Woll dialled in his recreation one thing fantastic Sunday, making 35 saves.
“He’s mentally centered,” Berube says. “He’s actually into that facet of the sport. So, he’s in a great place. I imply, you’re not going to avoid wasting all of them. He simply must go and do what he must do to present us an opportunity.”
• Blissful Mom’s Day, girls! Right here’s some healthful content material.
Marner on Stephanie: “A special occasion for myself and my spouse. It’s her first Mom’s Day. It’s one thing actually cool. Can’t wait to get dwelling tomorrow, see the little man, and rejoice with them for Mom’s Day. It’s a cool day to share with my spouse and each mothers.”
Nylander on Camilla: “Simply superb. She was coping with 4 different youngsters whereas my dad was enjoying, so it’s unimaginable what she did by herself whereas my dad was on the highway. I owe all of it to her, simply the hours she spent lugging the household round, getting me and my brother (Alex) to practices and bringing my sisters together with us. It’s simply been superb.”
Chris Tanev on Sophie: “Each child who’s been in hockey can attest to your mother driving to the rink at 6 a.m. and dealing extraordinarily laborious at her job and nonetheless coming dwelling and taking my brothers and I to hockey and taking good care of us. Ensuring we’ve good issues to eat and our laundry is finished and the home is clear. It’s not a straightforward job. Cannot thank her sufficient for what she’s completed.”
