Marner scores tiebreaking goal as
Maple Leafs beat Panthers 4-3 for 2-0 series lead
[May 08, 2025]
TORONTO (AP) — Mitch Marner has experienced a whirlwind
stretch — both at home and the rink. Joseph Woll waited patiently
and prepared for a chance he wasn't sure he'd get.
They both came through for the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 2 of
their second-round playoff series.
Marner scored the tiebreaking goal in the third period and Woll made
25 saves in place of the injured Anthony Stolarz as the Maple Leafs
beat the Florida Panthers 4-3 on Wednesday night to take a 2-0
series lead.
“A really exciting time in my house," said Marner, who became a
father for the first time during the weekend. "(And) pretty special
feeling tonight.”
Woll was pressed into service after Stolarz exited midway through
Monday’s opener — a 5-4 Toronto victory — following an elbow to the
head from Panthers center Sam Bennett, Woll started for the first
time since April 17.
“It’s been something I’ve had to focus on and come up with a plan to
stay ready,” Woll said. “It’s a different challenge than playing
every night, but a challenge nonetheless.”
Woll, who entered with a .950 save percentage in his four previous
playoff starts, also performed well when called upon in both the
2023 and 2024 postseasons because of injury.
“Calm and cool,” Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube said. “On his toes
and fighting through traffic. Very impressed.”
Max Pacioretty and Max Domi each had a goal and an assist, William
Nylander also scored and Morgan Rielly added two assists for the
Maple Leafs.
Anton Lundell had a goal and an assist, and Aleksander Barkov and
Brad Marchand also scored for the defending Stanley Cup champion
Panthers. Sergei Bobrovsky finished with 16 saves.
“Lots of stuff that we like about our game that we think we can
improve,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “We’ll take a look at it
and get better.”
The best-of-seven matchup between Atlantic Division heavyweights now
shifts to South Florida, with Game 3 set for Friday.
Trailing 3-2 after two periods, Florida tied it got even at 5:33 of
the third when Lundell shoveled his third goal of the playoffs past
Woll.
Toronto regained the lead just 17 seconds later when Marner fired a
shot from the boards that found its way through traffic past a
surprised Bobrovsky.
Marner, who turned 28 on Monday, has added an “M” to his equipment
since he and wife Stephanie welcomed their son Miles on Sunday
morning.
“Just calmness,” he said of what looking down and seeing that
initial does for him. “I try to stay calm as much as I can
throughout games. It’s always a roller-coaster ride. There’s always
stuff going on, stuff you can’t predict happening. I’m trying to
play for him.”
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Toronto Maple Leafs' Mitch Marner (16) celebrates with goaltender
Joseph Woll (60) after defeating the Florida Panthers in NHL playoff
hockey action in Toronto on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The
Canadian Press via AP)
Woll made a huge stop on Mackie Samoskevich with
9:59 left in regulation, and Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe
swatted a loose puck out of the crease with under six minutes to go.
The Panthers continued to press and Sam Reinhart hit the post with
just over three minutes left before the Maple Leafs held on late.
Florida, which beat Toronto in five games two years
ago at the same stage of the playoffs, went ahead 2-1 just 15
seconds into the middle period when Marchand — a Maple Leafs playoff
nemesis as a member of the Boston Bruins — took a pass from Lundell
down low off a turnover by Rielly and roofed his first of the
playoffs.
Toronto tied it at 4:18 when Pacioretty chipped a puck past Panthers
defenseman Seth Jones before finding Nylander in front for him to
bury his sixth, and the forward’s seventh point in three games.
“They’re very good on the rush,” Marchand said. “It seemed like
every time we gave them the opportunity to get above us, they
created something or capitalized on it.”
The Maple Leafs took a 3-2 lead with 2:51 remaining in the second
when Domi took a pass from Steven Lorentz on a 2-on-1 and one-timed
his second over a sprawling Bobrovsky.
Toronto got nothing from two power plays inside the game’s first 10
minutes before Florida struck 5 seconds into its first man advantage
when Barkov fired past Woll for his second at 10:58.
The Maple Leafs got their third power play of the period when Dmitry
Kulikov was whistled for delay of game for shooting the puck out of
play. Toronto again didn’t get much going until the second unit took
the ice and Rielly fired a shot from the point late in the man
advantage that Pacioretty — a healthy scratch to start the
postseason before scoring the series-clinching goal against Ottawa
in the first round — tipped it upstairs for his second with 1:41
left before the first intermission.
The Panthers had defenseman Aaron Ekblad back following a two-game
suspension for a forearm to the chin of Tampa Bay Lightning forward
Brandon Hagel in the first round.
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