TORONTO (AP) — Sergei Bobrovsky produced 34 saves, Matthew Tkachuk had 3 assists and the Florida Panthers survived a squandered two-purpose guide to defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 on Tuesday night time in opening recreation of their next-spherical playoff collection.
Sam Bennett had a purpose and an assist and Carter Verhaeghe and Nick Cousins also scored for Florida. Aleksander Barkov experienced two assists.
Matthew Knies had his initial NHL intention and Michael Bunting also scored for Toronto. Ilya Samsonov stopped 24 photographs.
Video game 2 of the greatest-of-seven collection is Thursday.
The Panthers experienced roared back from a 3-1 deficit to stun the history-environment Boston Bruins with a few straight victories and take that 1st-spherical sequence in seven games.
The Maple Leafs finished a technology of misery Saturday when John Tavares scored in extra time of Activity 6 versus the Tampa Bay Lightning as Toronto advance in the postseason for the initial time because 2004.
Tied at 2 late in the second time period with the Maple Leafs pushing, the Panthers silenced the towel-waving group at Scotiabank Arena.
Verhaeghe, who scored the remarkable winner in Recreation 7 towards Boston on Sunday, took a pass from Anthony Duclair and gave Florida the lead for excellent when he defeat Samsonov on a breakaway at 17:47 for his fourth intention of the playoffs.
Toronto experienced a few opportunities to tie it in the 3rd, but in no way actually threatened Bobrovsky before Montour blasted a just one-timer on a delayed penalty at 12:24.
Bobrovsky then denied William Nylander on a terrific toe prevent with just around a moment remaining in regulation on Toronto’s most effective opportunity to shut in a single.
The Maple Leafs are in the second spherical of the playoffs for the initially time due to the fact Jeremy Roenick scored in extra time of Sport 6 for the Philadelphia Flyers to remove Toronto on May possibly 4, 2004 — a extend of 18 several years, 11 months and 28 times.
Soon after Toronto experienced a number of great appears to be like on two electricity performs, the Panthers struck when Cousins scored his initial on a rebound at 9:25 of the opening period.
Served when a shot clanged off the article earlier in the time period, Samsonov built major stops on Anton Lundell and Barkov.
Bobrovsky designed a few huge will save off Auston Matthews on a Maple Leafs electrical power enjoy in the second just before Florida went up 2- at 7:58, when Bennett tipped a level shot previous Samsonov that in the beginning hit the adhere of Knies.
The Toronto rookie manufactured amends 11 seconds afterwards when he scored his initially experienced purpose on a spotlight-reel exertion among his skates with his back again to Florida’s purpose right after Bobrovsky built the first help you save.
Maple Leafs defenseman Luke Schenn then rocked Tkachuk with a massive strike in the neutral zone in advance of Bunting, who was suspended 3 game titles in the first spherical and designed a healthier scratch for another, scored his to start with of the postseason at 14:51 pursuing a ideal move from Calle Jarnkrok.
Duclair sprung Verhaeghe later in the change and he put the Panthers up 3-2.
Occupied TAVARES
Apart from scoring the time beyond regulation target that gave the Maple Leafs their first collection gain in 19 years, the Toronto captain and his spouse lately welcome their 3rd child, a daughter named Rae.
“An absolute whirlwind for him,” Toronto middle Ryan O’Reilly claimed in advance of the match.
MAURICE Looks Back
Panthers head mentor Paul Maurice was behind the bench when the Carolina Hurricanes topped the Maple Leafs in the 2002 Jap Meeting closing.
“I do not assume we gave up a five-on-5 aim in that collection,” he explained. “That was back again in when you could get away with clutching and grabbing.
“We had been definitely excellent at it.”
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