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Up to date 7s in the past<\/span>
The Florida Panthers<\/a> dominated the Toronto Maple Leafs<\/a> 6-1 to win Sport 5 Wednesday night time and take a 3-2 sequence lead. Florida opened the scoring within the first interval with an Aaron Ekblad<\/a> aim. It didn\u2019t cease there. Dmitry Kulikov<\/a>, Jesper Boqvist<\/a>, A.J. Greer<\/a>, Niko Mikkola<\/a> and Sam Bennett<\/a> all added objectives because the defending champs thumped Toronto on the street.
The Panthers compelled the Leafs to vary goalies halfway by means of the sport from Joseph Woll<\/a> to Matt Murray<\/a>. Their domination led to an Auston Matthews jersey being thrown on the ice and followers leaving Scotiabank Area in droves, leading to one of many worst playoff losses of this period in Maple Leafs hockey.
Nick Robertson ended Sergei Bobrovsky<\/a>\u2019s bid at back-to-back shutouts. Sport 6 is Friday night time because the Maple Leafs attempt to save their season.
GO FURTHER
Maple Leafs pushed to brink of elimination after Sport 5 loss to Panthers: Takeaways
The gang inside Scotiabank Area began sturdy. However then, very like the web world following the Leafs, issues turned.
Then Leafs followers buried their heads of their fingers. Then the boos emerged within the second interval of a playoff sport. Then the Bronx cheers adopted when Joseph Woll made a straightforward save late within the interval. A fan threw a Matthews Leafs jersey on the ice after the Leafs allowed their fifth aim in opposition to. The gang mirrored the web vitriol that was spreading like wildfire. You possibly can virtually really feel a whole fan base turning on the celebrities they\u2019d supported for years. And it\u2019s a flip that feels justified: This was a putrid effort that followers didn’t deserve.
Bear in mind Sport 5 in opposition to the Ottawa Senators, when the Leafs had an opportunity to win the primary spherical at dwelling and laid an egg? Bear in mind, effectively \u2026 you might use so many various failures from this core. Leafs followers contained in the constructing felt extra annoyed than ever at watching the identical film, as soon as once more. If the Leafs lose in Sport 6 and Sport 5 was the final time the house crowd sees their workforce, they wished them to understand how upset they have been. Enduring photos and sounds that might, and will, final lengthy into the offseason.
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The Maple Leafs have been at dwelling, not down in a sequence and had, you’ll assume, no motive to return out tight.
But historical past is a superb trainer and as in previous pivotal playoff video games, the Leafs\u2019 prime gamers regarded tight and supplied little to no creativity and spark with the puck. You possibly can virtually really feel the ghosts of previous playoff failures peering down from the Scotiabank Area roof. The tone was set early. The Leafs regarded like a workforce not enjoying to win however as an alternative enjoying to not lose. And the place did that get them? Within the first interval, the Panthers had 33 shot makes an attempt at five-on-five to the Leafs\u2019 eight shot makes an attempt. The Panthers had a deafening 11-1 benefit in shot makes an attempt when the Auston Matthews line \u2014 ostensibly the Leafs\u2019 finest line \u2014 was on the ice in that interval. And issues didn\u2019t get any higher.
Matthews\u2019 finest probability got here halfway by means of the second interval when he introduced the puck simply outdoors of the blue paint and will solely stuff the puck into Sergei Bobrovsky\u2019s pads.
Halfway by means of the second interval, Mitch Marner regarded like a junior participant with an pointless blind move up the center of the ice after which zero effort defensively to stop the Panthers\u2019 third aim.
Two gamers don\u2019t lose you a sport, to make certain. The Leafs\u2019 poor effort ought to fall on almost 20 pairs of shoulders. However the Leafs are constructed to have their finest gamers win them video games. Simply as in years previous, these gamers regarded incapable of doing so.
By Chris Johnston and Joshua Kloke<\/strong>
Sport 7 got here early this season.
With their season and, fairly probably, the way forward for their core on the road in Sport 5, the Toronto Maple Leafs failed to indicate up on dwelling ice in opposition to the Florida Panthers.
There have been zero positives to seek out in a humiliating 6-1 loss Wednesday that noticed the workforce play all of the outdated hits for a crowd that is aware of them effectively. A lot of the lineup tightened up, their stars didn’t produce, their goaltending faltered at instances and their effort was shockingly poor.
Shot makes an attempt at five-on-five ended with a 66-44 benefit for the Panthers, per Pure Stat Trick. The numbers matched the attention check, offered Leafs followers hadn\u2019t closed their eyes in horror.
Sure, the Leafs may nonetheless have an opportunity to win this sequence if they will drive a Sport 7. But when Sport 5 is any indication, it\u2019s robust to see them getting there.
And it\u2019s even more durable to see this workforce as assembled returning subsequent season. They offered little motive in Sport 5 to show they need to.
It was totally different this 12 months.
These weren\u2019t the identical Maple Leafs. They performed a unique type, a playoff type, a Craig Berube type. They have been enjoying the best way they wanted to play to win within the playoffs. They knew learn how to win shut video games. They responded to adversity. They have been robust. They have been heavy. Their stars had embraced the suitable mentality to lastly win.
Not a lot. The primary two video games of their second-round sequence with the defending champs have confirmed to be an aberration.
Even with a stronger defence and higher goaltending, the Leafs are proving they aren\u2019t so totally different in spite of everything. An embarrassing, humbling, stunning Sport 5 defeat confirmed that.
All the identical issues, those that destroyed Leaf workforce after Leaf workforce and finally ended Sheldon Keefe\u2019s time as head coach, are rising once more on the worst doable time.
The celebs have disappeared \u2014 once more.
Learn extra beneath.
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The Maple Leafs are proving they aren\u2019t so totally different in spite of everything
The Toronto Maple Leafs are actually 1-6 in dwelling Sport 5s this decade. Not good!
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Toronto: <\/strong>
Florida:<\/strong>
The final time the Toronto Maple Leafs received a sequence in seven video games was 2004 in opposition to the Ottawa Senators. Since then, they’re 0-6 in Sport 7s, together with final 12 months in opposition to the Boston Bruins.
Toronto might want to win this sequence in seven in the event that they wish to advance to the Jap Convention remaining.
Toronto Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube mentioned that his workforce "performed gradual" and the Florida Panthers "have been hungrier" in Sport 5. He couldn't clarify why the workforce began off so gradual.
"Tonight wasn't a superb sport for anyone. Anyone."
Toronto Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube was candid in how he considered his workforce's Sport 5 efficiency.
"There have been errors," Berube mentioned. "Loads of errors.
If there's motive for optimism, the Toronto Maple Leafs have received their final three Sport 6s. Within the first spherical of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Leafs beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in OT to advance to the second spherical. Within the 2024 first spherical in opposition to the Boston Bruins, the Maple Leafs received Sport 6 to drive a Sport 7. And within the first spherical of this 12 months's playoffs, the Leafs defeated the Ottawa Senators to advance to the second spherical.
Simply making an attempt to be constructive. This sequence isn't over.
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Chris Tanev has been probably the greatest defensemen for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season. He's led the workforce in hits taken and blocked pictures.
Tanev was a -2 tonight and took accountability after his workforce's efficiency.
"I'll take accountability," Tanev mentioned. "I have to be higher."
Mitch Marner is already waiting for Sport 6 after being held off the scoresheet.
"Flush it down the bathroom," Marner mentioned.
Auston Matthews didn't mince phrases about what the workforce must do for Sport 6 after their pathetic Sport 5 efficiency.
"I feel all people's bought to look within the mirror, myself included," Matthews mentioned, who was held off the aim sheet.
Requested concerning the followers leaving early tonight, Matthews mentioned, "we didn't give them a superb motive to stay round."
Sascha Barkov is aware of that Sport 6 goes to be laborious. However the Florida Panthers captain praised his workforce's potential to play an entire 60-minute sport.
\u201cWe simply battle laborious," Barkov mentioned on what made his tam profitable in Sport 5. "Easy performs. Simply preserve the main focus within the second that\u2019s what we\u2019ve been good on the final three video games.\u201d <\/p>\n

It's one other tough night time for Mitch Marner. He was held pointless and was a -2 tonight.
Not ok for somebody desirous to get an enormous payday throughout free company.
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It's one other playoff sport in opposition to the Florida Panthers the place Auston Matthews doesn't rating a aim. He had six pictures tonight and was a -2.
Pictures: <\/strong>
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For the primary time in these playoffs, the Toronto Maple Leafs are dealing with elimination down in a sequence. They now journey again to Florida to try to save their season.
Winners of Sport 5 when a sequence is tied 2-2 win the sequence 79.3 % of the time. An enormous mountain to climb for Toronto. <\/p>\n

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NHLCommercialresideUp to date 7s in the pastThe Florida Panthers dominated the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-1 to win Sport 5 Wednesday night time and take a 3-2 sequence lead. Florida opened the scoring within the first interval with an Aaron Ekblad aim. It didn\u2019t cease there. Dmitry Kulikov, Jesper Boqvist, A.J. Greer, Niko Mikkola and Sam […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-334263","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n