Sergei Bobrovsky made 34 saves, Matthew Tkachuk had three assists and the Florida Panthers survived a squandered two-goal result in defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 on Tuesday night time in opening sport of their second-round playoff collection.
Sam Bennett had a aim and an help and Carter Verhaeghe and Nick Cousins additionally scored for Florida. Aleksander Barkov had two assists.
Matthew Knies had his first NHL aim and Michael Bunting additionally scored for Toronto. Ilya Samsonov stopped 24 pictures.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven collection is Thursday.
Florida Panthers embrace middle Nick Cousins (21) who scored his first aim of the playoffs within the first interval because the Toronto Maple Leafs play the Florida Panthers in sport one within the second spherical of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. May 2, 2023. (Steve Russell/Toronto Star through Getty Images)
The Panthers had roared again from a 3-1 deficit to stun the record-setting Boston Bruins with three straight victories and take that first-round collection in seven video games.
The Maple Leafs ended a technology of distress Saturday when John Tavares scored in time beyond regulation of Game 6 towards the Tampa Bay Lightning as Toronto advance within the postseason for the primary time since 2004.
Tied at 2 late within the second interval with the Maple Leafs pushing, the Panthers silenced the towel-waving crowd at Scotiabank Arena.
Verhaeghe, who scored the dramatic winner in Game 7 towards Boston on Sunday, took a go from Anthony Duclair and gave Florida the lead for good when he beat Samsonov on a breakaway at 17:47 for his fourth aim of the playoffs.
Toronto had a pair alternatives to tie it within the third, however by no means actually threatened Bobrovsky earlier than Montour blasted a one-timer on a delayed penalty at 12:24.
Carter Verhaeghe #23 of the Florida Panthers celebrates his aim towards the Toronto Maple Leafs throughout the second interval in Game One of the Second Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs on the Scotiabank Arena on May 2, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Kevin Sousa/NHLI through Getty Images)
SNOOP DOGG JOINING GROUP COMPETING WITH RYAN REYNOLDS IN BID FOR SENATORS OWNERSHIP: REPORTS
Bobrovsky then denied William Nylander on a terrific toe cease with simply over a minute left in regulation on Toronto’s finest likelihood to shut inside one.
The Maple Leafs are within the second spherical of the playoffs for the primary time since Jeremy Roenick scored in time beyond regulation of Game 6 for the Philadelphia Flyers to get rid of Toronto on May 4, 2004 — a stretch of 18 years, 11 months and 28 days.
After Toronto had quite a few terrific appears on two energy performs, the Panthers struck when Cousins scored his first on a rebound at 9:25 of the opening interval.
Helped when a shot clanged off the put up earlier within the interval, Samsonov made huge stops on Anton Lundell and Barkov.
Bobrovsky made a pair large saves off Auston Matthews on a Maple Leafs energy play within the second earlier than Florida went up 2-0 at 7:58, when Bennett tipped a degree shot previous Samsonov that originally hit the stick of Knies.
The Toronto rookie made amends 11 seconds later when he scored his first skilled aim on a highlight-reel effort between his skates together with his again to Florida’s aim after Bobrovsky made the preliminary save.
Maple Leafs defenseman Luke Schenn then rocked Tkachuk with a giant hit within the impartial zone earlier than Bunting, who was suspended three video games within the first spherical and made a wholesome scratch for an additional, scored his first of the postseason at 14:51 following an ideal go from Calle Jarnkrok.
Duclair sprung Verhaeghe later within the shift and he put the Panthers up 3-2.
BUSY TAVARES
Apart from scoring the time beyond regulation aim that gave the Maple Leafs their first collection win in 19 years, the Toronto captain and his spouse lately welcome their third youngster, a daughter named Rae.
“An absolute whirlwind for him,” Toronto middle Ryan O’Reilly stated earlier than the sport.
Nick Cousins #21 of the Florida Panthers celebrates his aim towards the Toronto Maple Leafs throughout the first interval in Game One of the Second Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs on the Scotiabank Arena on May 2, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Mark Blinch/NHLI through Getty Images)
MAURICE LOOKS BACK
Panthers head coach Paul Maurice was behind the bench when the Carolina Hurricanes topped the Maple Leafs within the 2002 Eastern Conference closing.
“I don’t suppose we gave up a five-on-five aim in that collection,” he stated. “That was again in when you would get away with clutching and grabbing.
“We have been actually good at it.”
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