A slow start, uncharacteristically sloppy overall performance and some shoddy goaltending from the usually reliable Sergei Bobrovsky cost the Florida Panthers dearly in Monday’s 5-4 loss to the opportunistic Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 1 at Scotiabank Arena. William Nylander sniped Sergei Bobrovsky 33 seconds into the game and then added another off a rebound as the Maple Leafs built a two-goal lead. Seth Jones halved the deficit with a power-play goal from Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe, but Nylander sent Morgan Rielly off on a 2-on-1 break and he converted 19 second later to give Toronto ample breathing room. A fortuitous bounce on Chris Tanev’s second period knuckler, the only goal of the frame, put the Buds up by three after forty minutes. The Panthers struck twice in a 2:51 span early in the third to again make it one-goal game. Eetu Luostarinem deflected Anton Lundell’s centering pass home and then Uvis Balinskis blistered a shot by relief tender Joseph Woll at the 4:30 mark. A terrible change allowed Matthew Knies to get loose on a breakaway and he potted the eventual game-winner with six minutes left on the clock. A late Sam Bennett goal again got the Cats within one, but Woll and Leafs were able to hold on and close out. An apparently concussed Anthony Stolarz left midway through the tilt, so expect Woll to get the start tonight, although the former Panther has not been ruled out.
- WHEN: 7 p.m. ET
- WHERE: Scotiabank Arena – Toronto, ON
- ON THE TUBE: ESPN
- ON THE DIAL: 560 WQAM (D/B), 1230 The Gambler (PB), Thunder 100.3 (Keys)
- SOCIALS: #TimeToHunt, #LeafsForever, #FLAvsTOR, @LitterBoxCats, LBC FaceBook
- ENEMY INTEL: Pension Plan Puppets
- SEASON SERIES: Maple Leafs lead 1-0
- LAST MEETING: @TOR 5, FLA 4 – (Recap) 5/5/2025
- NEXT MEETING: Game 3 – May 9, 2025
- PROJECTED STARTERS: Florida: Bobrovsky (4-2 .886 / 2.69 1SO) Toronto: Woll (1-0 .850 / 6.05 0SO)
- PLAYER STATS: Florida / Toronto
Wednesday in the Stanley Cup Playoffs
- Dallas Stars at Winnipeg Jets 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Tuesday’s games
- Hurricanes 2, Capitals 1 (OT) (Carolina leads 1-0)
- Oilers 4, Golden Knights 2 (Edmonton leads 1-0)