The Toronto Maple Leafs earned a 3-2 win over the Florida Panthers on Wednesday (April 2). The Maple Leafs have won three straight outings and improved to 7-2-1 in their last 10 appearances.
More importantly, the team’s play has provided some much-needed separation in a close race for the Atlantic Division title. Toronto has a three-point lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning and a four-point advantage over the Panthers. The victory also clinched a playoff spot for the Maple Leafs for a ninth consecutive season, the longest active streak in the NHL.
Star Players Made an Impact
John Tavares continued his red-hot play, getting the Maple Leafs on the board in the second period. He displayed great hands and a deft touch around the net by redirecting a superb half-slap pass by William Nylander to tie the game at 1-1. The 34-year-old Tavares has 14 tallies over a 16-game span, giving him the most productive goal-scoring stretch of his career. He leads the league with 15 goals in 20 contests since the 4 Nations Face-Off. The veteran centre has 36 goals and 70 points over 68 games in 2024-25.
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The top line had a quiet night through two periods. The trio of Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews, and Matthew Knies generated a couple of chances but were guilty of being too pass-happy on a few occasions rather than firing away at the goal. However, that changed in the final frame. Marner gave the Maple Leafs a 2-1 lead just after the midway mark of the third period. The second line had an excellent scoring chance after Nylander sprung Bobby McMann for a breakaway that Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside. The Leafs completed a line change in the offensive zone, won some puck battles, and Marner eventually cashed in with a superb shot over the blocker of the Panthers’ netminder. The 27-year-old Marner is heating up again, generating three goals and seven assists during his six-game point streak. He is up to 93 points across 74 appearances this campaign.
Knies scored an important insurance marker that held as the game-winner a little over two minutes later after receiving an incredible outlet pass from Marner, who was deep in the defensive zone. The 22-year-old Knies made a great move on a breakaway and got a fortunate bounce, as the puck hit the post before going off Bobrovsky’s pad and crossing the goal line. Knies’ two-point performance gives him 26 goals and 51 points through 71 games this season.
Stolarz Regaining His Form
Anthony Stolarz went through a rough patch at the start of March, posting a record of 0-3-1 with a 3.17 goals-against average (GAA) and .876 save percentage (SV%) in five appearances. However, he has rebounded with four straight victories, including impressive performances versus the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday (March 29) and against the Panthers on Wednesday. The 31-year-old netminder has established career highs in games played (30), starts (29) and wins (17) while posting an impressive 2.34 GAA and a solid .920 SV%. He could be between the pipes for his first NHL playoff start when Round 1 begins.
Joseph Woll rebounded in Sunday’s (March 30) triumph over the Anaheim Ducks after two lacklustre performances. The Maple Leafs need both goalies to be difference-makers again, as their play will be an integral part of what the team and fanbase hope will be a lengthy playoff run. Woll has been up and down recently but has been outstanding in the past two postseasons. Still, the internal competition to be the team’s Game 1 starter is far from being decided, and head coach Craig Berube might be open to keeping the rotation going during the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Injury Scares Were Prevalent
Avoiding injuries down the stretch is also crucial before the playoffs. A series is often a battle of attrition, and being as healthy as possible increases the odds of success. David Kampf didn’t come out for the third period, leaving the game with an upper-body injury. Jake McCabe also exited the contest after falling awkwardly into the boards following a hit from Carter Verhaeghe late in the third. There was no update on either player after the game.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Brandon Carlo stayed in the game after injury scares. Ekman-Larsson slowly returned to the bench in the first frame after taking a hit, and Carlo was in pain after blocking a shot in the third. Between a ferocious Florida forecheck and shot blocks, it was a rough night for several members of the Maple Leafs.
What Comes Next for the Maple Leafs?
The Maple Leafs host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday (April 5). The Blue Jackets have won the previous two meetings this season, outscoring the Leafs by an 11-3 margin. Columbus is also in the mix for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, which won’t make them an easy opponent. Afterward, the Maple Leafs have what could be a division-altering back-to-back situation versus the Panthers and Lightning on Tuesday (April 8) and Wednesday (April 9), respectively.
The Maple Leafs didn’t paint a Picasso against the Panthers but still managed to grind out a victory thanks to timely scoring and strong goaltending. It’s predominately been the theme of 2024-25, and while it has been successful, it isn’t always easy to watch and can be a dangerous way to play. Wednesday’s game could have changed dramatically during an ugly second period for the Maple Leafs. Still, it’s encouraging that Toronto leads the league with a .704 win percentage in one-goal games, and it was great to see the star players rise to the occasion in a big game.
