William Nylander obtained the Maple Leafs off to a flying begin within the second spherical of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The star winger scored twice within the first interval earlier than including an help as Toronto constructed an enormous lead early earlier than holding on late to down the Florida Panthers 5-4 and take Recreation 1 on Monday evening.
Matthew Knies and Chris Tanev, with a aim and an help every, and Morgan Rielly supplied the remainder of the offence for the Leafs, who obtained eight saves from Anthony Stolarz earlier than he left with an undisclosed damage within the second interval.
Joseph Woll stopped 17 pictures in aid. Max Pacioretty and Jake McCabe added two assists apiece to open the groups’ best-of-seven collection.
Seth Jones, Eetu Luostarinen, Uvis Balinskis and Sam Bennett replied for the Panthers. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 24 pictures for the defending champs. Brad Marchand and Carter Verhaeghe had two assists every.
Toronto Maple Leafs ahead John Tavares (91) vies for management of the free puck with Florida Panthers ahead Aleksander Barkov (16) throughout the second interval. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press)
Florida beat Toronto in 5 video games on the identical stage of the 2023 post-season on the way in which to creating the Cup closing. The Panthers went one step additional 12 months later after they hoisted hockey’s Holy Grail for the primary time in franchise historical past.
Recreation 2 goes Wednesday again at Scotiabank Enviornment. The matchup of Atlantic Division heavyweights then shifts to South Florida.
Toronto opened the scoring inside a rocking rink simply 33 seconds after puck drop when Nylander beat Bobrovsky via the five-hole from a decent angle for his fourth aim of the playoffs.
The Leafs, who beat the Ottawa Senators 4-2 within the first spherical to register simply the second collection win for the Authentic Six franchise in additional than 20 years, went up 2-0 at 12:51 when Nylander scooped up an enormous Bobrovsky rebound earlier than deking the goaltender to the ice and roofing his second of the interval.
Jones obtained the guests on the board with a shot from the purpose via visitors on an influence play at 16:57 for his second after Toronto was whistled for too many males.
However the residence facet restored its two-goal lead simply 19 seconds later when Nylander despatched Rielly off to the races on a 2-on-1 with John Tavares. The defenceman and longest serving member of the present roster appeared Bobrovsky off earlier than firing previous the netminder’s blocker for his third of the post-season.
Toronto Maple Leafs ahead John Tavares (91) vies for management of the puck with Florida Panthers ahead Sam Reinhart (13) and teammate Aleksander Barkov (16) throughout the second interval. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press)
Florida, which beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in 5 video games to advance, obtained a person benefit within the second that noticed Stolarz make a few stops, however Bennett caught him with a sneaky elbow to the again of the top.
Toronto made it 4-1 at 7:50 when Tanev’s knuckling shot from distance fooled Bobrovsky for his first.
Stolarz, who backed up Bobrovsky on the way in which to Florida’s Cup win, was caught by tv cameras vomiting by the bench a couple of minutes later earlier than getting changed by Woll.
Nylander had an opportunity to finish the primary playoff hat trick of his profession on a shot that knocked the stick out of Bobrovsky’s hand that stayed out because the Leafs headed to the locker room up three.
However Luostarinen minimize the deficit again to 2 on a redirection 1:41 into the ultimate interval together with his second. Balinskis then made it 4-3 at 4:30 together with his first after a Panthers push inside a immediately tense constructing.
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz (41) lays on the ice after being run into throughout second interval. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press)
Toronto failed to attach on two energy performs later in third earlier than Bobrovsky denied Max Domi on a break.
Knies made it 5-3 with six minutes left in regulation with a transfer to the backhand on one other breakaway for his fourth.
Florida would not go away, and Bennett obtained his staff again inside one with 1:55 left in regulation on a pinballed shot off a Toronto stick for his fourth, however Woll and the Leafs held the fort late to safe an early lead within the collection.
Oak leaf out
The Panthers had been with out defenceman Aaron Ekblad, who completed off a two-game suspension for his headshot on Tampa ahead Brandon Hagel within the opening spherical.
Toronto Maple Leafs ahead William Nylander (88) celebrates his aim with teammate Morgan Rielly (44) throughout the first interval. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press)
New addition
Leafs winger Mitch Marner, who turned 28 on Monday, and spouse Stephanie welcomed the couple’s first youngster over the weekend.
Beginning sturdy
Recreation 1 winners in a best-of-seven personal an all-time collection document of 531-249 (. 681), together with 6-2 within the first spherical this spring.
WATCH | Analysts say Leafs, Jets and Oilers are all critical contenders to win the Stanley Cup: 
Followers amped as 3 Canadian groups make spherical 2 of the NHL playoffs
Hockey followers are amped up as three Canadian groups advance to the second spherical of the NHL playoffs. Analysts say the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Winnipeg Jets and the Edmonton Oilers are all critical contenders to convey residence the Stanley Cup.
Acquainted faces
The Leafs have three gamers from the Panthers’ championship staff — Stolarz, defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Steven Lorentz.
Ekman-Larsson was requested about his time with quick-witted Florida head coach Paul Maurice earlier than Recreation 1.
“Quite a lot of enjoyable quotes, very sensible man,” mentioned the blueliner. “I had a blast.”
