It was a heavy-hitting affair, as was expected, in Game 1 of the second-round series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers in Toronto. While the physical play would come into affect during the second period of play, it was the goal scoring early on that set the tone for the Maple Leafs.
It’s just the second time the Maple Leafs have been to the second round in the past two decades, while the Panthers are looking to make it to the Stanley Cup Final for back-to-back-to-back seasons. If the first game was any indication of how this series will play out, it’s going to be a long, physical series with a ton of offence.
Game Recap
The scoring started early on the first shot of the game from William Nylander who snuck a shot under the pads of Panthers’ goalie Sergei Bobrovsky just 33 seconds into the game. While the physical play picked up shortly after the goal, the Panthers were able to draw the first penalty of the game when Max Domi responded to Brad Marchand’s post-whistle scrumming with a debatable crosscheck to the arm of the Panthers’ pest.
The Maple Leafs continued to press offensively and after a holding penalty to Niko Mikkola, Nylander scored his second of the game just under 13 minutes into the first frame.
The offensively-powered first period continued just four minutes later as Seth Jones scored his second goal of the playoffs on the power play before Morgan Rielly put the Maple Leafs back up by two just 19 seconds later with his third goal of the playoffs.
It was the rough stuff that took over the second as Chris Tanev’s first playoff goal with the Maple Leafs was the lone goal in the second period just under eight minutes into the frame.
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But late in the period, after making eight saves on nine shots, Anthony Stolarz took an elbow to the head from former teammate Sam Bennett leading to him leaving the game with an apparent head injury.
Joseph Woll came into the game in relief and made 17 saves on 20 shots, but the Panthers made it close with three goals in the third period. Eetu Luostarinen and Uvis Balinskis scored within three minutes of each other to make it a 4-3 game just 4:30 into the third, but Matthew Knies would score on a breakaway to put the Maple Leafs back up two — a goal that would end up sticking as the game-winner with Bennett scoring late with the Panthers’ net empty.
As such, though, the Maple Leafs and Woll held on for the Game 1 victory and a 1-0 series lead as they look to pick up another one at home when the puck drops on Game 2 Wednesday night.