GDT: GDT: ECSF: (A1) Toronto Maple Leafs vs (A3) Florida Panthers - GAME 1 - 8 PM EST IN TORONTO

[crump]

(1A) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (3A) Florida Panthers​

Maple Leafs: 52-26-4, 108 points
Panthers: 47-31-4, 98 points
Season series: TOR: 1-3-0; FLA: 3-1-0
Game 1: Monday at Toronto (8 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, ESPN)

How they look​

Maple Leafs projected lineup​

Matthew Knies -- Auston Matthews -- Mitch Marner

Max Pacioretty -- John Tavares -- William Nylander

Bobby McMann -- Pontus Holmberg -- Max Domi

Calle Jarnkrok -- Scott Laughton -- Steven Lorentz

Morgan Rielly -- Brandon Carlo

Jake McCabe -- Chris Tanev

Simon Benoit -- Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Anthony Stolarz

Joseph Woll

Scratched: Dakota Mermis, Philippe Myers, David Kampf, Artur Akhtyamov, Nicholas Robertson

Injured: Jani Hakanpaa (lower body)

Panthers projected lineup​

Carter Verhaeghe -- Aleksander Barkov -- Sam Reinhart

Mackie Samoskevich -- Sam Bennett -- Matthew Tkachuk

Eetu Luostarinen -- Anton Lundell -- Brad Marchand

Evan Rodrigues -- Nico Sturm -- Jesper Boqvist

Gustav Forsling – Seth Jones

Niko Mikkola -- Dmitry Kulikov

Uvis Balinskis -- Nate Schmidt

Sergei Bobrovsky

Vitek Vanecek

Scratched: Rasmus Asplund, Jonah Gadjovich, A.J. Greer, Tomas Nosek, Matt Kiersted, Jaycob Megna

Injured: None

Suspended: Aaron Ekblad

 

[ACC1224]

Beauty

Leafs made Brady cry, next up is making Maurice weep.

 

[Transplanted Caper]

Leafs need to prove they're different. You're not going to win every shift, but there just needs to be that attention to detail and not melting in the moment like they have in the past. When they lost to Florida in 2023 they threw the series away in the 2nd period of G2. Took a 2-0 lead into the second period and puked it away in 90 seconds with a terrible goal and lazy turnover. Stuff like that just can't happen. You have to step on someone's throat when you have the chance. G7 against Boston last year, they take a 1-0 lead and before you can blink, Boston ties it on a brutal goal, and they lose quickly in OT on an absolute dog's breakfast of coverage and Samsanov sitting back in the net. Blowing the 3-1 against Montreal in 2021, no-showing G5 against CBJ, and blowing a series lead against BOS in 2019, it's not been bad luck, it's been a case of not being able to get the job done. Berube has made a different, they play a style more suited to playoff hockey, but until they're playing in a Conference Final, until they slay a contender, the question marks hanging over them are more than fair.

 

[inthe6ix]

Good luck FLA, you won't need it as much as we will, but hoping for a hard-nosed series with no major injuries on both sides.

 

[Leonardo87]

Go Cats!

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

Leafs need to prove they're different. You're not going to win every shift, but there just needs to be that attention to detail and not melting in the moment like they have in the past. When they lost to Florida in 2023 they threw the series away in the 2nd period of G2. Took a 2-0 lead into the second period and puked it away in 90 seconds with a terrible goal and lazy turnover. Stuff like that just can't happen. You have to step on someone's throat when you have the chance. G7 against Boston last year, they take a 1-0 lead and before you can blink, Boston ties it on a brutal goal, and they lose quickly in OT on an absolute dog's breakfast of coverage and Samsanov sitting back in the net. Blowing the 3-1 against Montreal in 2021, no-showing G5 against CBJ, and blowing a series lead against BOS in 2019, it's not been bad luck, it's been a case of not being able to get the job done. Berube has made a different, they play a style more suited to playoff hockey, but until they're playing in a Conference Final, until they slay a contender, the question marks hanging over them are more than fair.

LOL. Back when they were playing Montreal, I remember a bunch of Leaf fans saying they wanted to win at home and me saying basically word for word the bolded above. Kill. Always kill.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Good night Panthers Marner is about to have a huge night. Dad strength from yesterday and a birthday?

 

[Strangle]

To be the man, you gotta beat the man

GO LEAFS GO!

 

[bobholly39]

Leafs can't afford to fall behind to Florida, on home ice. They need to win tonight, and they need to win game 2 also to take a strangle hold. And I think they will.

Leafs 5 Florida 2. Matthews with 2 goals.

 

[GrumpyKoala]

I am confident that this will be the best game to watch tonight.

 

[TheImpatientBoomer]

That Leafs 3rd line.....woof.
Panthers gonna have too much BOOM for the Leafs.
Stolarz not gonna shine as much as he did vs OTT.

Hopefully the refs don't gift TOR too many penalties, let them earn their PPs.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Leafs can't afford to fall behind to Florida, on home ice. They need to win tonight, and they need to win game 2 also to take a strangle hold. And I think they will.

Leafs 5 Florida 2. Matthews with 2 goals.

They don't need to do anything in particular but win 4 of 7. I don't care how it happens.

I am sure if they lose tonight though there is no discussion to be had will just be memeing the Leafs for 48 hours which is sad. This is going to be a good series that will go back and forth

 

[AvroArrow]

That Leafs 3rd line.....woof.
Panthers gonna have too much BOOM for the Leafs.
Stolarz not gonna shine as much as he did vs OTT.

Hopefully the refs don't gift TOR too many penalties, let them earn their PPs.

McMann would be playing on your 2nd line, you're gonna be surprised my friend

Any updates on Tkachuk/Barkov ? I see both guys are in, but likely not 100% ?

 

[Delete1]

Leafs can't afford to fall behind to Florida, on home ice. They need to win tonight, and they need to win game 2 also to take a strangle hold. And I think they will.

Leafs 5 Florida 2. Matthews with 2 goals.

Florida won't average more than 2 goals per game in the series.

 

[TheImpatientBoomer]

McMann would be playing on your 2nd line, you're gonna be surprised my friend

Any updates on Tkachuk/Barkov ? I see both guys are in, but likely not 100% ?

McMann would be on our 4th line, just like Erod is.

Barkov is fine

Tkachuk is less fine

 

[dangomon]

That Leafs 3rd line.....woof.
Panthers gonna have too much BOOM for the Leafs.
Stolarz not gonna shine as much as he did vs OTT.

Hopefully the refs don't gift TOR too many penalties, let them earn their PPs.

Stolarz saved 0.1 goals above expected. He was good in that series, but he was arguably worse than his regular season, which means he could have more to give.

They also averaged ~2 PP opps per game after game 1, and in recent seasons are consistently one of the worst in the league at drawing penalties (whereas the Panthers were 4th in PP opps this season).

 

[TheImpatientBoomer]

Stolarz saved 0.1 goals above expected. He was good in that series, but he was arguably worse than his regular season, which means he could have more to give.

They also averaged ~2 PP opps per game after game 1, and in recent seasons are consistently one of the worst in the league at drawing penalties (whereas the Panthers were 4th in PP opps this season).

The first two games of the series Stolarz was a big reason they won IMO.
As the series went on, he looked more average and I think Flordia know his weaknesses better than any other playoff team would.

I'm talking about game management calls if TOR is down a goal or two and the league needs TOR around for another game or two to boost ratings and help them back into the game..

 

[FrozenJagrt]

Leafs can't afford to fall behind to Florida, on home ice. They need to win tonight, and they need to win game 2 also to take a strangle hold. And I think they will.

Leafs 5 Florida 2. Matthews with 2 goals.

In my opinion the Leafs need to win 4 games to feel really comfortable in this series

 

[93gilmour93]

To be the man, you gotta beat the man

GO LEAFS GO!

 

[TheKrebsCycle]

I think the Leafs staying disciplined is key . Getting into a physical war just plays into the Panthers hand . Don’t be the guy who gets the extra shot in and inevitably take a seat in the box ( Domi looking at you ) . Break the cycle , pick your spots and hope Stollarz brings it / can play close to even w Bob .

 

[93gilmour93]

The first two games of the series Stolarz was a big reason they won IMO.
As the series went on, he looked more average and I think Flordia know his weaknesses better than any other playoff team would.

I'm talking about game management calls if TOR is down a goal or two and the league needs TOR around for another game or two to boost ratings and help them back into the game..

Already playing the officiating card are we lol.

I'm sure the former Panthers on the Leafs now will share some weaknesses on the Florida team that we may not see also...

 

[AvroArrow]

The first two games of the series Stolarz was a big reason they won IMO.
As the series went on, he looked more average and I think Flordia know his weaknesses better than any other playoff team would.

I'm talking about game management calls if TOR is down a goal or two and the league needs TOR around for another game or two to boost ratings and help them back into the game..

Or if Florida decided to head shot guys, or cross checks guys in the head, or pull the defenders stick out of his hand en route to scoring the series clinching goal, league probably lets it all go if they need another small market team to advance.

Oh wait that already happened.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

McMann would be on our 4th line, just like Erod is.

Barkov is fine

Tkachuk is less fine

We sure Barkov is truly fine?

I suspect if Barkov were truly fine they wouldn't be 49% in the faceoff circle.

I don't think Barkov is 100%

 

[Just Rude]

I'm talking about game management calls if TOR is down a goal or two and the league needs TOR around for another game or two to boost ratings and help them back into the game..

So if the Leafs happen to win, you already have the excuse. Smart.

 

[authentic]

Good night Panthers Marner is about to have a huge night. Dad strength from yesterday and a birthday?

Plus games 1s are where he shines