The Toronto Maple Leafs are back home and looking to stop the bleeding after dropping two straight in Florida. After taking a 2–0 series lead, they’ve watched the Panthers even things up, culminating in a 2–0 shutout loss in Game 4. Now, it’s a best-of-three.
If earning the Atlantic Division title is any solace, it’s home-ice advantage. Perhaps that could turn out well for Toronto. Win tonight, and the Maple Leafs have the Panthers on the ropes.
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Craig Berube’s squad is looking for a return to the aggressive forecheck and offensive rhythm that carried them through the early part of the series. Where that went, who knows? But the team needs it back – and quickly.
Item One: Tonight’s Game 5 Is Litmus Test One for the Maple Leafs’ Season
Game 5 at Scotiabank Arena tonight is crucial. A lot is riding on this game and this series. It’s more than just winning and losing; it’s about this group’s identity moving forward. So far, it would be tough to critique the Maple Leafs’ season, both in terms of philosophy and play.
(R.J. Johnston/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
The Maple Leafs set out to do things in a particular manner, and so far, so good. Sure, there were ups and downs. But that’s true with any professional team. The opposition is always good. But the long game worked. They have to beat the Panthers two more times. That means win two at home, if it comes to that.
Item Two: The Maple Leafs’ Top Guns Have Cooled Off
Auston Matthews has yet to find the back of the net in this series and has only two goals total in these playoffs. Despite putting up eight assists and contributing defensively (35 shots, 13 blocked shots, and a 57.4% faceoff win rate), the lack of scoring from one of the game’s most dangerous shooters is being felt.
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After a strong start to the postseason, captain John Tavares has cooled significantly. He’s only scored two goals in the last six games. Mitch Marner, meanwhile, has managed just one shot on goal across the previous three games. Berube hinted that the team is looking for more urgency in shot selection, saying, “Sometimes your top guys…they’re looking to get too good of a chance instead of just putting the puck on net.”
Besides William Nylander, who has three goals against Florida, no Maple Leafs player has more than two goals in the series. Time to remedy that disease.
Item Three: Goalie Joseph Woll Is Holding the Fort
With Anthony Stolarz still out (no timeline for return), Joseph Woll is locked in as the starter for Game 5 — and he’s earned it. Despite the Game 4 loss, Woll was outstanding, stopping 35 of 37 shots. That included 29 over the first two periods to give his squad a chance to win. His confidence and poise under pressure have been a stabilizing force during a shaky stretch for the team.
“I’ve built the confidence that I know I’m capable in those situations,” Woll said after the game.
Stolarz skated on his own before Tuesday’s practice but isn’t ready to return. That means the crease belongs to Woll for the foreseeable future — and given how he’s played, that’s not such a bad thing.
Item Four: Give the Panthers Credit, They’re Finding Their Groove
Credit to Florida — the defending champs are showing why they’ve made back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances. After struggling defensively in the first three games, the Panthers locked things down in Game 4 with tight gaps, big hits, and strong play in net. With five goals this postseason, Sam Bennett continues to be a playoff difference-maker.
Related: Maple Leafs Benefit From Sam Bennett’s Lack of Suspension
I have to admit I was wrong about Bennett. After his elbow to Stolarz’s head went unpunished, I figured the backlash might make him a bit more cautious. Perhaps that held for Game 2, but by Game 4, it was clear he was back to full form. Bennett was doing exactly what Florida pays him to do: agitate, attack, and contribute. His second goal on Woll was perfectly executed — not a superstar move like the Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid might make, but it was exactly the right play at the right time. It was clinical. Bennett delivered.
With the series deadlocked at two, now the Maple Leafs’ stars rise or the season’s universe unravels.
Item Five: Oliver Ekman-Larsson Misses Practice, Game 5 Status Uncertain
Oliver Ekman-Larsson was absent from Maple Leafs practice on Tuesday due to an illness. Head coach Berube downplayed the concern, saying, “Nothing terrible, but I thought it was better he stay off today and rest up.”
At this point, the 33-year-old veteran blueliner should be considered day-to-day, though the expectation is that he’ll be ready for Game 5. Ekman-Larsson has logged 19:14 per game this postseason while contributing two goals, four points, and 15 hits in a depth role. While his absence isn’t expected to linger, any disruption on the Maple Leafs’ back end could be significant as they prepare for a pivotal swing game against a Panthers team that has reasserted itself over the past two contests.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
The Maple Leafs need Game 5 — plain and true: home ice, home crowd, and a reset. Matthews is doing everything but scoring. If the dam breaks, it could be the series’ turning point. If not, it’s hard to see Toronto keeping pace with a Florida team that seems to have rediscovered its championship-caliber game.
