Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers Renew Battle for Atlantic

The Panthers and Maple Leafs are just two points apart in the Atlantic Division standings and play each other for just the second time this season tonight in Toronto.

With three games against each other in the final weeks of the season, this mini-series will go a long way in deciding which team wins the division — and gets home ice advantage through at least the first two rounds of the playoffs.

The first time these two played back in November in Sunrise, Florida trounced the Leafs 5-1 with Sergei Bobrovsky besting his former teammate Anthony Stolarz.

Florida goes into tonight’s game coming off a tough loss in Boston after six straight wins; the Leafs are coming off the road, winning in a shootout at Utah on Tuesday.

The Maple Leafs have been without Max Pacioretty and Chris Tanev due to injury; Calle Jarnkrok just returned to action after missing most of the season due to sports hernia surgery.

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The Leafs are a major offensive threat.

Five players — Mitch Marner, William Nylander, Auston Matthews, John Tavares and Matthew Knies — all have more than 20 goals.

Nylander leads the pack with 36.

For sophomore Knies, this is his first 20-goal season.

These five have 35 power play goals between them.

Joseph Woll and Stolarz have been solid in net. Stolarz has a super .921 save percentage and 2.33 GAA.

The Leafs shored up their defense with the deadline acquisition of Brandon Carlo from Boston.

They also acquired veteran two-way forward Scott Laughton from Philadelphia. Laughton has the only four-goal game in the NHL this season, against the Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 12.

Following Florida’s 3-2 loss in Boston, coach Paul Maurice was uncharacteristically abrupt in assessing his team’ssix-game road trip.

“I think they (Boston) played as hard as the last two or three teams we played,’’ Maurice said.

“We’ve got Columbus fighting the same way for the playoffs. That’s what the road trip will be. We have a tough one in Toronto and then both the teams we play at the end of the trip (Columbus and Washington) are fighting for their playoff lives. There’s a whole bunch of teams that are four or five points out and they’re right there.”

Washington is first in the Metropolitan Division and rather comfortable in their playoff spot, however, Toronto, Montreal, the Islanders, and Columbus are all in play for playoff positions.

Toronto coach Craig Berube discussed the ‘challenge’ of playing the Panthers after his team’s practice Wednesday.

“You look at the standings, at where we’re at, where they’re at. It’s a big game,’’ Berube said. “First place right there. You play Florida, it’s always going to be a hard game. That’s just the style they play. They’re in your face; they don’t give you much room out there. It’s going to feel like a playoff game.”

ON DECK: GAME No. 66

FLORIDA PANTHERS at TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS 

• When: Thursday, 7 p.m.
• Where: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
• Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FTL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (SWFla)
• Streaming: Panthers+, ESPN+
• Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• This Season (Panthers Lead 1-0) — At Florida: Panthers 5, Leafs 1 (Nov.27); Ap. 8. At Toronto: Thursday; Ap. 2.
• Last Season: Tied 2-2
• All-time Regular Season Series: Toronto leads 50-39-7, 7 ties
• Up Next for the Panthers: Saturday at Montreal Canadiens, 7 p.m.