The Florida Panthers got three goals from its defense corps and embarrassed the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-1 at Scotiabank Arena to take a 3-2 lead in the second round series.
After an evenly played opening few minutes, the Panthers began to inexorably take control of the game, eventually forging ahead with 5:22 left in the first.
Florida kept pressuring after Joseph Woll denied a shot deftly batted out of the air by Sam Reinhart. They worked the puck back out in front and Jesper Boqvist sent it across the slot to Reinhart, who nudged it back to Aaron Ekblad. Ekblad calmly picked the top left corner with his wrister, despite the puck being on edge, from the right circle. That’s why I say hey man, nice shot.
As they’ve been wont to do in this series, the Cats weren’t ready to the start the next period and the Maple Leafs almost made them pay, with both William Nylander and Scott Laughton tickling the iron behind Sergei Bobrovksy.
The Panthers went back to work after dodging those bullets and doubled the lead when Matthew Tkachuk passed back to Nate Schmidt at the left point and he crossed to Dmitry Kulikov. Kulikov’s subsequent slapper caught the blade of Laughton and soared over the glove of the handcuffed Woll at 6:08, giving the rugged defenseman his first of the playoffs.
A terrible turnover by Mitch Marner set the table for the third Florida goal 3:57 later. Gustav Forsling picked off Marner’s ill-conceived no-look backhand pass and head-manned to Reinhart, who carried into the zone and sent a frozen rope back door to the driving Boqvist. Usually a bottom-sixer, Boqvist, on the top line in place of the injured Evan Rodrigues, stuffed the puck into a gap between the post and Woll’s skate.
Niko Mikkola would collect his first of the playoffs at 14:01 when he stepped into the puck in the left circle and blew it by Woll’s glove with the assists going to pesky Finns Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen. Luostarinen came up with a steal near the right side boards and backhanded the puck to Lundell, who crossed back to the incoming Mikkola.
Yet another first of the postseason came 6:23 into the third, Following an offensive zone draw between Tomas Nosek and David Kämpf AJ. Greer sent the puck back to Schmidt at the left point. He snapped off a shot that was deflected into the mug of Chris Tanev by Jonah Gadjovich. After striking Tanev’s face, the puck fortuitously bounced to Greer and he swatted it home to chase Woll.
Sam Bennett would tack on his team-leading sixth goal with John Tavares off for roughing. Another faceoff win in the left circle, this time by Lundell, led to Brad Marchand and Ekblad somehow combining to push the puck over to Bennett, who quickly sniped Matt Murray glove-side at 9:10.
The Maple Leafs would end Bobrovsky’s bid for a second consecutive shutout with 1:06 left on the clock. Former Panther Steven Lorentz fed Max Domi below the goal below and he threw a pass back out in front to Nick Robertson, who spun to the side and backhanded the puck just inside the far post right before he was crunched by Ekblad. Whatever…
Another dominant performance from the Panthers, who once they got through the early part of the second period unscathed, were in complete control after Kulikov put them up by two. Since Tavares’ power-play goal gave Toronto a two-goal lead early in the second period of Game 3, the Panthers have outscored the Maple Leafs by a combined 12-2, and are now driving towards the finish line towards a third-straight appearance in the Eastern Conference Final. They can end Toronto’s season on Friday night at Amerant Bank Arena. Keep it up, Cats!
Rakes & Bags
- Sergei Bobrovsky was named First Start for his 31-save performance that included key first period stops on a William Nylander breakaway and a late stuff attempt by Matthew Knies. Bobrovsky went a franchise playoff record 143:25 without allowing a goal until Nick Robertson finally beat him.
- Usually a bottom-sixer, Jesper Boqvist got a chance on the top line with Evan Rodrigues out and took full advantage, finishing with a goal, an assist, three shots and eight hits. The goal was his first-ever in the postseason and marked the first time he’s lit the lamp since January 25. Welcome back, Jesper!
- Boqvist was one of four Panthers to post a multi-point game. Aaron Ekblad (1G/1A), Sam Reinhart (2A) and Nate Schmidt (2A) were the others. Reinhart became the first Cat to hit 10 points this postseason.
- 28-year-old A.J. Greer, appearing in just his sixth playoff game, also notched the first postseason goal of his career. That marker ended Joseph Woll’s night. Woll departed with 20 saves.
- The aforementioned Nylander remained the most dangerous Leaf, matching Reinhart and Auston Matthews with a game-high six shots on goal.
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