Maple Leafs not overreacting to shutout loss at Panthers in Recreation 4 of East 2nd Spherical – NHL.com

Toronto dropped each video games in Florida, maintains home-ice benefit with sequence tied 2-2
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SUNRISE, Fla. — Outhustled. Outmuscled. Outshot. Outskated. Outplayed.
Outclassed.
Merely out, out-everythinged.
That, in a nutshell, was the story for the Toronto Maple Leafs of their 2-0 loss to the Florida Panthers in Recreation 4 of their Japanese Convention Second Spherical at Amerant Financial institution Enviornment on Sunday.
And if the Maple Leafs can’t change the momentum being constructed up by the defending Stanley Cup champions proper now, they’ll be out of the postseason earlier than you realize it.
Sure, there nonetheless is room for optimism. Sure, Toronto nonetheless holds home-ice benefit with the best-of-7 sequence tied 2-2. Sure, it’s now all the way down to a best-of-3 matchup, so it’s nonetheless anybody’s battle to win.
Having mentioned that, the alarming side of the Maple Leafs loss from a Toronto standpoint was that it was self-inflicted as a lot as something, spoiling an impressive efficiency from goalie Joseph Woll.
From 4 minor penalties within the first interval, to gradual puck motion within the defensive zone that allowed Florida’s forecheck to feast, it was an implosion that the Maple Leafs may by no means get better from.
“We let off the fuel,” ahead Matthew Knies candidly mentioned. “We took dumb penalties. It was all our doing.”
It was, as Knies astutely identified, a recipe for catastrophe.
Discussing Recreation 4 between the Panthers and Maple Leafs
With Recreation 5 scheduled for Wednesday at Scotiabank Enviornment (7 p.m. ET: CBC, TVAS, SN, ESPN), Toronto can have two full days between video games to determine how one can get again on monitor.
And alter the optics of the sequence whereas they’re at it.
Having gained the primary two video games on house ice, Toronto had the prospect to stagger the 2024 title holders with an extra time aim in Recreation 3 on Friday, a situation which might have seen the Maple Leafs take a commanding 3-0 lead within the sequence.
As a substitute, it was a Brad Marchand winner that gave Florida a 5-4 victory Friday, narrowed Toronto’s lead within the sequence to 2-1, and gave the Panthers an opportunity to even the matchup with a win in Recreation 4 Sunday.
Which is strictly what they did.
For the primary time within the sequence, the Panthers regarded just like the group that has been to 2 consecutive Stanley Cup Finals, one which swarms to the puck, retains opposing shooters to the surface, and is backstopped by two-time Vezina Trophy successful goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who made 23 saves for the shutout.
However, the Maple Leafs regarded just like the group that had gained only one postseason sequence since 2004 previous to this yr, the identical one which entered the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs having scored two objectives or fewer in 13 of their earlier 14 playoff video games.
In a nutshell, we’ve seen this recreation earlier than.
And it’s up Toronto to show that the narrative of “Identical Outdated Leafs” isn’t official this time round.
Not less than encouragement might be gleaned from Woll’s recreation. He made 35 saves and saved his group in it after Carter Verhaeghe’s power-play aim gave Florida a 1-0 lead at 15:45 of the primary interval.
Certainly, Woll’s heroics saved it a one-goal recreation and gave his group an opportunity till Panthers ahead Sam Bennett supplied an insurance coverage aim at 12:09 of the third.
“Very not often it’s going to be a stroll within the park,” Woll mentioned. “We’re anticipating a protracted sequence. I believe each time you go right into a sequence with a group, you count on a protracted sequence, and it’s going to shuttle with the momentum shifts.”
To ensure that the Maple Leafs to get it to swing their means, it could assist if ahead Auston Matthews regained his scoring contact.
The Maple Leafs captain has been battling by means of an upper-body ailment for months and scored a career-low 33 objectives throughout the common season. He’s understandably taken quite a few upkeep days between video games and opted not to participate within the group’s morning skate on Sunday however has grinded by means of any discomfort to play in every of Toronto’s 10 playoff video games this spring.
Nonetheless, with zero objectives and three assists on this sequence to date, Toronto would get a major enhance if he may in some way begin discovering the again of the online, even when takes a fortunate bounce in entrance of the online to get him going.
“I imply, the probabilities have been there,” Matthews mentioned. “I’ve simply obtained to do a greater job of bearing down on them.”
Very like your entire group must do from a self-discipline standpoint.
“Whenever you spend half the sport within the (penalty) field, it’s onerous to generate momentum,” he mentioned. “It’s onerous to generate vitality and life for the bench.”
The Maple Leafs have till Wednesday to get these again.
In any other case, a sequence they regarded to have within the palms of their fingers after the primary two video games may simply be slipping away.

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