(Photo: Toronto.com, NHL)
The Florida Panther absolutely EMBARRASS the Toronto Maple Leafs in Scotia Bank Arena in this pivotal game 5 in the east semis. Not too toot my own horn i did predict a Panthers win, but i did predict a 4-1 win not a 6-1 win. I also predicted a big night from the Panthers Defence man and that is exactly what happened. The D man stepped it up huge in this game 5 contest. The Leafs are now all of a sudden down 3-2 in this series and will be facing elimination in Sunrise, Florida on Friday night.
The Panthers offence tonight was RELENTLESS tonight. Florida had 3 defence man score in this game Dimitri Kulikov, Aaron Ekblad and Niko Mikkola found themselves on the score sheet tonight in there biggest game of the year. Sergei Bobrovsky was brilliant when he needed too be especially in the first period. He robbed William Nylander early in the first when the game was 0-0 and then Matthew Knies late in the first when the game was 1-0. After that the leafs really did not have anything going for them. The Panthers were so aggressive and i hate to say they wanted it more but damn the Panthers really wanted it tonight.
Torontos Joseph Woll was pulled tonight in the 3rd period, but you really cannot blame Woll in this situation when your team just does not come to play. Torontos core 4 of Matthews, Marner, Tavares and Nylander really did not do much but for this game 5 most of the blame has to go on Marner and Matthews. Matthews was a minus 2 tonight he was the main reason the Panthers got on the board in this game. Marner was also a minus 2 and his spin no look pass give away which lead to a Panthers breakout with Mitch Marners guy Jesper Boqvist skating by him and tapping the 3rd goal was just poetic on how this game went. A link down below if you want too see the 3rd goal. https://x.com/Sportsnet/status/1922812349112631463
Matthews in his career has STILL not scored in the 2nd round he has played 10 second round games now, this guy has the highest paid contract in the NHL right now by the way.
I really do not know what to say for this Leafs team. This was there biggest game in 20 plus years at home and they just laid an egg. I see no way the leafs can win in game 6 but then again the Leafs do love to lose in a game 7.