The Toronto Maple Leafs faced off against the Florida Panthers in a divisional clash last night. It was simple: if the Maple Leafs won, they would clinch home-ice advantage and be one step closer to locking up top spot in the Atlantic. By now, almost everyone in Leafs Nation knows—there always has to be adversity. It can never be easy. If it sounds too good to be true, when it comes to this team, it likely is.
In a game where it felt like the Maple Leafs might come out, assert their dominance, and beat the Panthers, they didn’t deliver. The stars didn’t show up, the team lacked urgency, the goaltending struggled, and they looked tired. Ultimately, that led to a 3–1 loss and a missed opportunity to clinch home-ice. More importantly, they also failed to extend their lead in the division. They now take on the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight, who sit just two points back and are hungry for the top spot.
Let’s put a bow on the Panthers game—here are some takeaways from last night.
Team Lacked Urgency
We’ve heard this hundreds of times over the last nine seasons. In the biggest moments, this team has lacked urgency. They just can’t seem to play at the top of their game when they absolutely need it most. It’s hurt them time and time again, and while the loss to the Panthers may not sting immediately, it could ultimately cost them a shot at first place in the division. Last night was their game in hand over the Lightning—a golden opportunity to widen the gap. Even walking away with a single point would’ve helped immensely.
From the drop of the puck, they looked one step behind Florida. Slower in transition, losing puck battles, and it showed in the shot totals. The only player who looked engaged was John Tavares. Still, even he had moments where he looked off, especially on the Panthers’ first goal when he wasn’t set for the faceoff and Anton Lundell capitalized, leading to Gustav Forsling’s goal off the draw.
Unfortunately, this is a storyline Leafs fans know all too well. The hope now is that they can reset, bring a better effort tonight, and keep their spot atop the Atlantic.
Stars Didn’t Show Up
Yet another familiar storyline in a big game: the Maple Leafs’ stars didn’t show up when they needed to.
Through 40 minutes, William Nylander and Auston Matthews combined for zero shot attempts. And no, it didn’t get better through 60. By the end of the game, Matthews, Nylander, and Mitch Marner had just one shot on net between them (Matthews), and were a combined minus-4. The only member of the core four who made an impact was the aforementioned Tavares, who scored the team’s only goal.
Related: Maple Leafs Lose to Panthers 3-1 Snapping 4 Game Winning Steak
It was a no-show—but the turnaround is quick. They face Tampa tonight, and the stars need to respond with urgency and effort. Don’t be surprised if Craig Berube has a word with them, and they come out flying. If they don’t, the division could slip away—when just days ago, they looked to be in control.
Only time will tell, but the Maple Leafs have responded well in bounce-back games this season. Every team has stinkers. But when you’re fighting for a division title with just a handful of games left, there’s no more room for off nights. They need to regroup in Tampa—and bring their best.
