The Maple Leafs came into this matchup riding high on a fantastic 8-1-1 stretch, so perhaps we can excuse a single loss. But it’s how they lost that’s raising eyebrows today. Outshot 37 to 18 and out-attempted 63 to 31, this wasn’t even a contest, especially not against a Panthers team missing key players.
The top line, expected to set the pace, was nowhere to be found, hanging around on the ice for their regular minutes but failing to deliver any noteworthy performance. Sure, you can point fingers at other players too because, frankly, no one stood out, but this starts at the top.
Winning against elite teams becomes an insurmountable task if the top dogs aren’t leading the charge. Tomorrow night’s game will be an interesting test of their resilience.
Let’s break down the game in 10 points:
- Right from the opening, Joseph Woll set an unsettling tone with an errant pass from behind the net that landed right on Aleksander Barkov's stick, setting up Sam Reinhart in the slot for a prime chance.
The Leafs had to wait a few minutes before the fourth line gave them their first positive shift, cycling the puck and pressing the Panthers into defense. However, the top line gave it right back with a poor breakout pass from Mitch Marner, leaving Oliver Ekman-Larsson vulnerable.
It was a sign of messy sequences to follow in the period.
- With a little over half the period gone, Florida claimed a 1-0 lead.
John Tavares, usually reliable in the faceoff circle, got completely outmaneuvered by Anton Lundell. It seemed as though Tavares was left guessing, handing Gustav Forsling a prime opportunity, who then nailed a wrist shot off the post and in.
Given Woll’s recent stellar performances, expectations were set high, but that’s one he will certainly want back.
- The rest of the first was chaotic for the Leafs.
Stuck in their own half, they struggled to clear the zone cleanly. Defensemen had limited outlets, leading to frantic and ineffective attempts down the boards.
The Panthers were relentless, ending the period with a staggering 27 shot attempts, while the Leafs skated around in survival mode. The top line, in particular, faced an outing with a meager 6-1 shot attempt deficit.
- The start of the second injected a bit of spirit into the Leafs' play.
Marner made a bold step, blasting a slapshot past Bobrovsky but striking the post. A follow-up shift saw John Tavares capitalize on a rebound, dancing past a flat-footed Nate Schmidt, and curling a shot that careened in off the bar.
That’s Tavares’ 37th goal, marking a solid milestone in his career with the Leafs.
Tavares 37th of the Season vs Panthers courtesy of @Bonsie1951 and @Jim_Ralph pic.twitter.com/VU28M10XoB
— Maple Leafs Hotstove (@LeafsNews) April 9, 2025
- If there’s one positive takeaway, it’s Toronto’s penalty kill unit.
Although the Panthers only had one power play, the kill was robust and disciplined. Matthews and Marner started with a strong shorthanded show, followed by Scott Laughton and Matthew Knies, promising potential for future pairings.
Simon Benoit also bolstered the effort, stepping up in McCabe’s absence.
Following their PK success, Toronto snagged a power play themselves, crafting a strong opportunity that was thwarted by Bobrovsky. However, they nearly gave away the store with a neutral zone mishap that required a stellar save from Woll to keep the game level.
- The Leafs put together possibly their strongest five-on-five showing in that second frame. They finally sustained some pressure in the Panthers’ zone and calmed some of the opposing cycles, but let’s be honest—the Panthers were still firing on all cylinders with 18 attempts to the Leafs' 12.
- The third period got off to a rocky start with the Leafs slipping back to erratic play. The top line found themselves buried in a defensive zone stalemate, and the Panthers pounced, swiftly regaining the lead through a botched breakout attempt by Morgan Rielly that led to Eetu Luostarinen's wrist shot in the slot.
- Fighting from behind, the Leafs' power play continued to struggle.
Tavares hesitated on a slot chance, and a missed deflection by Knies rounded out the notable chances. In critical game moments like these, a power play without a single shot recorded simply won’t cut it.
Coach Berube experimented with line shuffles post-power play, but swiftly reverted—another sign that more drastic changes might be needed to inspire a shift in momentum.
- The one solid chance from the top line came when Marner snatched the puck from Seth Jones and created a momentary opening for Matthews and Knies, who were both thwarted by Bobrovsky. As time waned, Matthews’ overzealous drop pass that led to a turnover and an eventual empty-netter for the Panthers underscored his rough night.
- Reflecting on those final stats, the top line was significantly outplayed, with Matthews particularly struggling head-to-head against Barkov.
It's a tough pill to swallow when the leading players, ones expected to ignite the rink, fail to do so. Out-attempted 63 to 31 at five-on-five, this game puts a spotlight on the need for a potential lineup shakeup.
Though Woll’s performance deserved acknowledgment, it wasn’t echoed by his teammates. This defeat heightens the stakes for the team’s next clash with the Lightning, with pressure mounting to secure the Atlantic.
Looking at strategy and leadership, Toronto needs to focus on clinching the Atlantic Division to face Ottawa in the first round. It's back to the drawing board for this team as they prepare to dig deep and recover their form against a formidable Lightning squad.
