Panthers Start in Toronto vs. the Leafs. They’re Cool with That

The Florida Panthers left Fort Lauderdale for Toronto on Sunday afternoon, their second round playoff series against the Maple Leafs kicking off tonight.

As usual, the Panthers treated this as a business trip.

Those who know the Panthers understood Paul Maurice was being serious when he said, on numerous occasions and to anyone who would listen, that his team did not care who they opened the playoffs against.

Or, where those games would be played.

Home ice advantage seemingly helped the Panthers last year en route to the Stanley Cup championship.

The Panthers did, after all, win Game 7 against the Edmonton Oilers in the humid confines of Sunrise.

Yet over the past two postseasons, unless the game was played in Las Vegas, the Panthers fared pretty well away from South Florida.

Even in the Stanley Cup Final, the Panthers won Game 3 in Edmonton to take a 3-0 lead in that series. There was a lot of pressure on Florida in that game, and they handled it pretty well.

“I just don’t think the road is anywhere near as intimidating as it used to be,’’ Maurice said. “It was a different back when you thought home ice advantage was everything. You needed it, right? I just don’t feel that. We have enough depth. We play a grinding game, and you can win on the road with that game.’’

The Panthers will open the second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs in Toronto tonight, taking on a Maple Leafs team that worked hard to win the Atlantic Division title and earn home ice for at least the first two rounds of the playoffs.

Now, it’s not like the Panthers did not care about winning the Atlantic. They just prioritized being healthy going into the playoffs — and, after playing over 280 games in the past three seasons, that seemed to be the right call.

“We just have to stay calm and composed,” Gus Forsling said. “We love starting on the road. It’s not like we wanted to, but the fact that we’re doing it, I love it. I think we get the guys together on the road, we have a lot of fun. It’s amazing. It doesn’t matter if it’s home or on the road, we want to win that game.’’

In 2023, the Panthers were the road team in all four of their playoff series.

Florida went 3-1 in Boston, 3-0 in Toronto, and 2-0 in Raleigh before dropping all three in Vegas for the title.

Last year, Florida had home ice in the first two rounds — and went 1-1 in Tampa, and 3-0 in Boston. In the Eastern Conference finals, the Panthers went 2-1 in New York, winning the right to play for the Cup in Game 6 at home.

This postseason, the Panthers are 3-0 as the road team, taking all three games played in Tampa by a combined score of 14-5.

Now, all of those Tampa Bay games were closer than the score looks.

The Panthers know this.

Playing in Toronto is a different animal, but the Panthers have seemingly figured out how to successfully guard against the pitfalls of playing in what is sometimes mockingly called the ‘Centre of the Hockey Universe.’

There are many knowledgable fans in Toronto who will recognize even the lesser known players on the streets and in line for coffee.

There are family concerns with many players from, or around, the general area — and by area, we mean all of Canada.

There is also more media responsibilities to work around with the small visitors’ room at Scotiabank Arena filled with cameras and cellphones trying to record every moment.

But it is Toronto, and that means something.

The former Air Canada Centre may not be Maple Leaf Gardens, but few players remember that barn anyway.

To many, the Maple Leafs do play in the capital of hockey, and that is not a joke.

A good many players go a touch faster and little harder knowing those lights in Toronto are a bit brighter.

The last time the Panthers were here, they left behind a Stanley Cup championship ring to reside at the nearby Hockey Hall of Fame.

Hockey is not just enjoyed here. It is their life.

And these are the playoffs.

“I feel excited, definitely, playing in Toronto, in Canada,’’ Sergei Bobrovsky said. “It’s probably one of the best atmospheres to play in, the capital of hockey. It’s going to be a good challenge. They have a good team, have a good offense, defense, and a good goaltender. It’s going to be a good challenge for us, and we’re all excited for it.”

PANTHERS ON THE PLAYOFF ROAD

SINCE 2023

• 2023 R1 at Boston 3-1 (won series in 7)
• 2023 R2 at Toronto 3-0 (won in 5)
• 2023 ECF at Carolina 2-0 (won in 4)
• 2023 SCF at Vegas 0-3 (lost in 5)
• 2024 R1 at Tampa 1-1 (won in 5)
• 2024 R2 at Boston 3-0 (won in 6)
• 2024 ECF at NYR 2-1 (won in 6)
• 2024 SCF at Edmonton 1-2 (won in 7)
• 2025 R1 at Tampa 3-0 (won in 5)
• 2025 R2 at Toronto ???

2025 NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS: GAME 1

FLORIDA PANTHERS @ TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

Best-of-7 Series

• When: Monday, 8 p.m.
• Where: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
• National TV/Streaming: ESPN
• Radio: WQAM 560-AM; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• Series Schedule — Game 1: Monday @Toronto, 8 (ESPN); Game 2: Wednesday @Toronto, 7 (ESPN); Game 3: Friday @Florida, 7 (TNT/truTV); Game 4: Sunday @Florida, 7:30 (TBS/truTV); Game 5*: Wednesday May 14 @Toronto TBA (ESPN); Game 6*: Friday May 16 @Florida TBA (TNT/truTV); Game 7*: Sunday May 18 @Toronto TBA (TNT/truTV).
• How They Got Here: Toronto d. Ottawa 4-2; Florida d. Tampa Bay 4-1
• This Season (Panthers Won 3-1) — At Florida: Panthers 5, Leafs 1 (Nov.27); Panthers 3, Leafs 1 (Ap. 8). At Toronto: Panthers 3, Maple Leafs 2 (March 14); Maple Leafs 3, Panthers 2 (April 2).
• Last Regular Season: Tied 2-2
• All-time Regular Season Series: Toronto leads 51-40-7, 7 ties
• All-time Postseason: Panthers d. Toronto 4-1 (2023 ECS)