Panthers rating three unanswered targets to win Game 2 over Maple Leafs

The Florida Panthers are formally on a tear as they defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 2 of their second spherical collection to take each video games on the street. 

The Panthers, the eighth and remaining seed within the Eastern Conference, have gained 5 straight Stanley Cup Playoffs video games, which incorporates Games 5, 6 and seven of their first spherical upset of the Boston Bruins. Four of these 5 video games got here on the street. 

And this win got here on three unanswered targets by the Panthers, who had been down early within the first interval because the Maple Leafs appeared to even up the collection on their house ice. 

Florida Panthers Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky (72) tends the web in the course of the first interval of the Round 2 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Game 2 between the Florida Panthers and the Toronto Maple Leafs on May 4, 2023, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON, Canada. (Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire through Getty Images)

It was Alexander Kerfoot scoring simply minutes into the sport for Toronto, which was his second purpose of the playoffs. Then, Ryan O’Reilly had an influence play probability discover the again of the web, rapidly making a gap for the Panthers to dig out of. 

As we’ve seen to date within the playoffs, Florida can climb out of these holes. 

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It began with Anton Lundell’s first purpose of the playoffs, who Sam Reinhart present in entrance of the web on a crafty back-handed cross from behind the web. Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov didn’t see it coming. 

When the second interval rolled round, solely the Panthers discovered the puck within the internet. Aleksander Barkov, who didn’t make a lot noise within the first spherical, scored simply 19 seconds into the interval as Anthony Duclair dropped the puck again for him and he picked the right low and proper spot previous Samsonov. 

Ryan O’Reilly #90 of the toronto Maple Leafs celebrates a purpose towards the Florida Panthers throughout Game Two of the Second Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 4, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Claus Andersen/Getty Images)

With the sport tied, Florida wasted no time taking their first lead of the sport lower than one minute later. 

Eetu Luostarinen intercepted a cross from the Leafs as they tried to interrupt the puck out of their zone and rapidly shot it over to Matthew Tkachuk. The Panthers had been making an opportunity on the time, so gamers started to hitch the frenzy again within the offensive finish, which included Lundell and Gustav Forsling. 

After Lundell gave the puck again to Tkachuk, the Panthers’ alternate captain despatched a cross throughout the ice to Forsling, who beat Samsonov. 

From there, it was all protection and a few extra stable goaltending from Sergei Bobrovsky. He completed the night time with 34 saves on 36 pictures on purpose, accumulating himself one other win. 

As you’d anticipate, Leafs followers weren’t happy to see their workforce down two video games to none after they received out of the primary spherical for the primary time in 19 years after their collection victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

Anton Lundell #15 of the Florida Panthers celebrates his purpose towards the Toronto Maple Leafs with teammates Marc Staal #18, Sam Reinhart #13 and Eetu Luostarinen #27 in the course of the first interval in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs on the Scotiabank Arena on May 4, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Mark Blinch/NHLI through Getty Images)

The collection strikes to Sunrise, Fla. now the place Game 3 puck drop will come on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET.