Panthers Make a Lineup Change Before Game 5 vs Leafs

The Florida Panthers will make a key lineup change tonight before playing the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 5 of their tied best-of-7 second-round playoff series.

Evan Rodrigues skated on Tuesday and was on the ice in Toronto on Wednesday — but he will not play in Game 5.

Jesper Boqvist will replace Rodrigues on the left side of the top line with Sasha Barkov and Sam Reinhart at least to start the game.

“The advantage is, he can play all three forward positions,’’ Paul Maurice said of Boqvist.

By putting Boqvist in the lineup, Maurice said, he has some versatility as the game rolls along.

After Rodrigues was knocked out of Game 4 in the third period after being interfered with by Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Tomas Nosek moved up from the fourth line to play with Barkov and Reinhart.

Rodrigues, Maurice said, could be able to go in Game 6 on Friday in Sunrise.

The Panthers are not expected to make any more lineup changes going into a pivotal Game 5.

Both teams are 2-0 on home ice, with two of the final three games in this series slated to be played in Toronto.

2025 NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS: GAME 4

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS @ FLORIDA PANTHERS 

Best-of-7 series tied 2-2

• When: Wednesday, 7 p.m.
• Where: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
• National TV: 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: @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: Wednesday @Toronto, 7 (ESPN); 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
• This Regular Season: Panthers Won 3-1; 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)