Are the Leafs Broken? Panthers Dominate, But Job Not Done

The Toronto Maple Leafs are certainly down, but when it comes to their playoff series with the Panthers, they are definitely not out.

The Panthers dominated Toronto in each of the past two games — Florida has rallied from a 0-2 series deficit to a 3-2 lead — but the Leafs are not done yet.

If Toronto can figure out a way to slow the Panthers down, and it is no given that it can, perhaps the Leafs can steal Game 6 in Sunrise on Friday night.

A Leafs victory in Game 6 means Game 7 would be back in Toronto on Sunday.

Now, the Leafs look absolutely shattered.

Florida appeared to have taken whatever will the Leafs had and stomped it all over the ice — that same ice Toronto fans tossed their favorite player’s jersey onto.

That’s before they exited the arena in droves long before the final horn.

In Sunday’s 2-0 win in Game 4, the only thing that was close was the score.

Wednesday’s 6-1 win was not as close as that blowout score would indicate.

And, the Maple Leafs did not have a whole lot of fight in them other than some meaningless scrums in the third.

“We played slow. They were fast, they were on us, they were hungrier,” Toronto coach Craig Berube said.

“That’s the first period, and that sets the tone for the game. It is hard to explain it. We all need to be better, myself included. You can’t start the game that way, that’s a big thing for me.

“I don’t have an answer to why — it’s sports, things happen.”

The Panthers have absolutely dominated the Maple Leafs since flipping the switch in Game 3.

Even then, the Panthers were thisclose to being down 0-3 in the series before Brad Marchand scored in overtime..

Only Toronto could not finish the Panthers off.

And they may have a longer offseason because of it.

“The way they play, we played into what makes them successful,’’ said Auston Matthews, who did not blame the fans for leaving early.

“They won the net-fronts tonight, competed harder and won more puck battles. That’s the game, simple as that.”

Matthews is one of the best players in the NHL, but he has done nothing offensively against the Panthers either in this series nor in the second round in 2023.

In 10 playoff games against the Panthers, Matthews has as many goals as you do.

But, if he gets hot in Game 6, everything will be forgiven in Leaf Land.

“I don’t have an excuse or explanation,’’ Matthews said. “All we can do is regroup and reset, go out and win a game to keep our season alive.

“There is confidence in this group. We have been able to bounce back and push back all year. It’s now different now. We have to look in the mirror and get better.”

2025 NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS: GAME 6

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS @ FLORIDA PANTHERS 

Panthers Lead Best-of-7 Series 3-2

• When: Friday, TBA
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
• National TV: TNT/truTV
• National Streaming: MAX
• 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: @Toronto 5, Florida 4; Game 2: @Toronto 4, Panthers 3; Game 3: @Florida 5, Toronto 4 (OT); Game 4: @Florida 2, Toronto 0; Game 5: Panthers 6, Leafs 1; Game 6: Friday @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
• All-time Postseason: Panthers d. Toronto 4-1 (2023 ECS)