The Florida Panthers made a point last night, even with a depleted lineup. They extended their strong run with a 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, their seventh win in eight games. The Panthers showed up strong despite missing Matthew Tkachuk, Brad Marchand, and Aaron Ekblad. Sam Bennett scored two crucial power-play goals, and defenseman Niko Mikkola added a goal. But give credit to the Panthers’ penalty kill unit that held firm during the second period. That success led to two quick scores in a 3:17 span, giving them an edge they didn’t relinquish.
Related: Today in Hockey History: March 14
The Maple Leafs have now lost four of their last five games. John Tavares scored number 27 of the season, and Max Domi scored his fifth. However, the rest of the lineup struggled to break through the Panthers’ defense and beat Sergei Bobrovsky. It was lock-down hockey at its finest.
The win was also important in the Atlantic Division race. With the win, the Panthers now lead the Maple Leafs by four points. This is their biggest point lead for a long time. The teams seemed to have been a couple of points apart for almost three months.
Item One: John Tavares Continues Strong Play with Early Goal
Tavares scored early in the first period with a sharp one-timer past Bobrovsky. The goal adds to an impressive run for the ex-captain, who has put up at least one point in 11 of his last 14 games. He’s a point-a-game player, with 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in those 14 games.
Related: Maple Leafs Fans Need to Appreciate John Tavares
Overall, Tavares has been in excellent form since February. He’s potted 27 goals and added 29 assists in 58 games this season. It looks like he’s well on his way to surpassing the 29 goals and 36 assists (for 65 points) in 80 games he totaled last season. Not that it matters too much because he’ll likely re-sign in his hometown again for a team-friendly salary, but as a pending unrestricted free agent, Tavares’ strong play is coming at a good time. He’s one of a few Maple Leafs forwards whose scoring benefits from playing in head coach Craig Berube’s system.
Item Two: Max Domi Starting to Find His Groove Despite Slow Start
Max Domi scored a goal in his team’s loss. Domi has struggled for much of the season, but he’s started to heat up recently. He’s now put up two goals and four assists in his last nine games. However, he just doesn’t seem to shoot much. He’s registered only 12 shots in that nine-game span. While his best stretch with the Maple Leafs was last season when he was paired with Auston Matthews, his continued play on Toronto’s third line negates that opportunity.
Despite the recent uptick in production, Domi’s a playmaker. Could his game be better suited for a top-six role where he feeds a scorer like William Nylander? Truth is, he’s unlikely to get that chance in Toronto.
Item Three: Anthony Stolarz Struggles in March, Drops Third Straight
Anthony Stolarz is having a rough March. That continued Thursday night in the 3-2 loss to his former Panthers team. He was effective for most of the game, but the Panthers’ power play beat him twice. Their third goal, late in the third period, stole the win.
Related: Maple Leafs & Blue Jays in Similarly Tough Spots with Marner & Guerrero Jr.
This loss is Stolarz’s third straight. He’s now 0-2-1 in his last three starts (he relieved Joseph Woll one game) and has given up 12 goals and posted a .876 save percentage. He’s clearly not the goalie he was earlier in the season, but if the team is going to hang around the top of the league, he’s got to shake off his slump – like soon.
Item Four: William Nylander Extends Point Streak
William Nylander registered an assist last night, extending his streak to seven games and nine points. He has been particularly effective with the man advantage, scoring one goal and adding three power-play assists in those seven games.
With 36 goals this season, Nylander ranks second in NHL scoring and looks to hit the 40-goal mark for the third straight season. His point pace is slightly above a point-per-game (67 points in 65 games). While that’s far down from the 98 points he posted last season, there’s no way he’s not improved his all-around game. That he’s not at the same scoring level as last season is likely due to the team’s different system under coach Berube. That said, Nylander’s production makes him an elite NHL player.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
Even in a loss, it’s good to see Chris Tanev return to the lineup after his injury. Tanev was activated off injured reserve and jumped back into the lineup for Thursday’s game. Tanev had been sidelined since Feb. 25 due to an upper-body injury. He’s been a key player for the Blue & White this season with two goals, 17 points, and 151 blocked shots in 57 games.
Related: Revisiting the Nazem Kadri Trade
Tanev’s return boosts the Maple Leafs defense, and his presence in the lineup likely means Philippe Myers will become a healthy scratch moving forward. That said, like Simon Benoit last season, Myers has become found money for the team this season. Tanev’s return should lift the team’s defensive play for the remainder of the season.
