Fort Lauderdale – That’s how we’re already in Round 2.
For the first time in three years, the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs will face each other head-on in the second round of the Eastern Conference.
“They’re a very talented team and they’re very offensive,” defensive man Seth Jones said of the Maple Leafs. “We’re cutting our work, but we’ll do the right thing to prepare for Game 1 for the next few days.”
The Panthers, a gentleman’s sweep of the Tampa Bay Lightning in Round 1, did a quick job of their cross-state rivals and won a passionate series in five games.
Another North rival, the Maple Leafs, defeated Senator Ottawa in six games and took the lead in the Battle of Ontario.
“The similarities with our first round,” coach Paul Maurice said of going from lightning to the Maple Leafs. “Some high-end, elite skills. Good goaltending and great defensive structure for their team. These things will be similar from the start.”
In the final meeting in Round 2 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Panthers defeated the Maple Leafs in five games and ultimately made their way to the Stanley Cup final.
This time, both teams take ice with familiar faces of news.
There’s everything you need to know before your second matchup.
Playoff basics
Panthers (3a): 4-1 | 4-1 on the lightning bolts of round 1
Maple Leafs (1A): 4-2 | 4-2 against Round 1 Senators
Violation: FLA: 3.80 gf/gp; 25.0%pp | TOR: 3.17 gf/gp; 35.3%pp
Defense: FLA: 2.40 ga/gp; 88.9%pk | TOR: 2.67 ga/gp; 80.0%pk
Advanced Playoff Numbers (5 vs. 5)
Panthers: 49.28 cf%, 60.00 gf%, 51.75 xgf%, 53.16 HDCF%
Maple Leaf: 44.92 CF%, 60.00 gf%, 47.93 xgf%, 44.57 HDCF%
Playoff-leading scorer
Panthers: Sam Reinhart (two goals, four assists), Sam Bennett (three goals, two assists), Matthew Tokachuk (three goals, two assists), Anton Randell (two goals, three assists), Alexander Barkov (one goals, four assists), Eetu Luostarinen (one goals, four assists)
Maple Leafs: William Nylander (3 goals, 6 assists), Mitch Marner (1 goal, 7 assists), Auston Matthews (2 goals, 5 assists), John Tavares (3 goals, 2 assists), Matthew Nees (3 goals), Morgan Riery (2 goals, 1 assist)
Fault: Lightning Round 1 Aging was all about the Panthers deck. Reinhart led the way with six points, but also produced five Panthers at a game-by-game pace with a 4-1 series victory. The Panthers, who scored a depth score, saw the goal from 15 points from 10 different players. Similarly, the Maple Leafs also had 10 different goal scorers and 17 points scorers in a round one series with the Senate. Nylander scored nine points and ranked first in goals and points for Toronto, and second in assists.
Playoff goalkeeper matchup
Panthers: Sergei Bobrovsky (4-1, 2.21GAA, .901 SV%)
Maple Leafs: Anthony Stolarz (4-2, 2.21 GAA, .901 SV%)
Breakdown: “Playoff Bob,” picked up from what he left off last year in the playoffs, stopped 21 Heidanger shots after a lack of highlight reel saves in round 1. “Fifth Penalty Killer,” Bobrovsky made 15 short-handed saves against one of the league’s best power plays in Tampa Bay. The 36-year-old recorded his fourth career postseason shutout in Game 2. A familiar face between the pipes on the other side, Stolarz brought his career season into the postseason. Stolarz made 33 and 28 saves in games 1 and 2 against the Senators, respectively, to help the Maple Leafs jump into early series leads. Running in a fierce Game 6, the original Panthers Netminder recorded 23 saves and .913 save percentage in a 4-2 victory to eliminate the Senator.
Playoff X Factor
Panthers: There’s no more important time for a special team. The Panthers’ penalty kill was a major factor in their victory over the Lightning in Round 1. He had a success rate of 88.9% in round two, and the penalty unit stopped straight opportunities of 16. This involves a five minute major in Game 4 maintaining one goal game. While limiting the pressure, the Panthers only allowed six Heidanger chances and 17 shots on 18 trips to Tampa Bay.
Maple Leafs: As good as a penalty kill for the Panthers, the Power Play is just as clicking as the Maple Leafs. The Maple Leafs cashed at a 35.3% rate against the Senators, with four different goal scorers in man advantage in round one, each of which rang their horns twice. The Maple Leafs were able to close and strike, creating 23 Heidanger chances, 5-4 in round one.
Regular season
The Panthers hope to be able to replicate regular season results against the Maple Leafs.
In the four meetings, Florida beat Toronto 13-7 3-1-0.
“Samus” (Bennett and Reinhart), who scored five points each in the season series, led the Panthers in scoring.
On November 27th, they held their first meeting at Amerant Bank Arena, where they won the Panthers 5-1 with a three-point performance from Carter Verhaeghe. A little closer at the next meeting, Bennett spotted the back of the net twice in his 3-2 victory in Toronto on March 13th.
Reclaiming one in Toronto, three unanswered goals from the Maple Leafs earned a 3-2 victory on April 2nd.
They concluded the season series in Florida on April 8th, with the third-term goal from Eetu Luostarinen and Verhaeghe 3-1 victory over the Panthers.
2nd Round Schedule
Game 1 | Panthers of the Maple Leafs | Monday, May 5th at 8pm | Scotiabank Arena | ESPN, SN, CBC, TVAS
Game 2 | Panthers of the Maple Leafs | Wednesday, May 7th at 7pm | Scotiabank Arena | ESPN, TVAS
Game 3 | Panthers’ Maple Leafs | Friday, May 9th at 7pm ET | Amerant Bank Arena | TNT, TRUTV, MAX, SN, CBC, TVAS
Game 4 | Panthers Maple Leafs | Sunday, May 11th at 7:30pm ET | Amerant Bank Arena | TBS, TRUTV, MAX, SN, CBC, TVAS
Game 5* | Panthers of the Maple Leafs | Scotiabank Arena at TBD on Wednesday, May 14th | TBD
Game 6* | Panthers’ Maple Leafs | Amerant Bank Arena at TBD on Friday, May 16th | TBD
Game 7* | Panthers of the Maple Leafs | Scotiabank Arena at TBD on Sunday, May 18th | TBD
*as needed
Important Quotes
“Their (Toronto) top guys really thriving in time and space, and when they play power play and run there, it’s going to be something we think is great, and every aspect of it.” – about what Seth Jones wants to carry from round 1 to round 2.
“He’s a good goalkeeper and that’s going to be a good challenge for us.” – Sergei Bobrovsky of Anthony Strals, a former teammate and current Maple Leaf goaltender.
“We have enough depth. We can play a little more crushing game and win on the road in that game.” – About what Paul Maurice made his team successful on the road
The lineup projected by the Panthers (for changes)
forward
Carter Verhaeghe – Aleksander Barkov – Sam Reinhart
Evan Rodriguez – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tokachuk
Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Brad Marchand
AJ Greer – Nico Sturm – Jesper Boqvist
Defender
Gustav Falling – Seth Jones
Niko Mikkora – Dmitry Klikov
Uvis Balinskis – Nate Schmidt
Goaltender
Sergei Bobrovsky
Vitek Vanecek
Maple Leafs Projection Lineup (Correspondence)
forward
Matthew Nice – Auston Matthews – Mitch Marner
Max Pasioletti – John Tavares – William Nylander
Bobby McMann – Pontus Holmberg – Max Dommy
Stephen Lorenz – Scott Loughton – Kare Jarnkrock
Defender
Jake McCabe – Chris Taneff
Morgan Lierry – Brandon Carlo
Simon Benoit – Oliver Ekman Larson
Goaltender
Anthony Strals
Joseph Wal
