The Toronto Maple Leafs had their backs against the wall and needed to play a perfect road game in Game 6 against the Florida Panthers on Friday to survive after a pathetically weak performance on Wednesday had surrendered home-ice advantage. As improbable as it was to think that the Leafs could bounce back after the 6-1 debacle in Game 5, Toronto put forth a workmanlike performance in a 2-0 win at Amerant Bank Arena on Friday to force a seventh and deciding game on Sunday night.
As with the opening game of the series and Game 3 last weekend (that Toronto should have won after leading by two goals early in the second), the Leafs got off to a quick start and proved to the Panthers that they were not about to fold up their tent. Florida dominated the second period and frequently had the Leafs in trouble because of the long change, trapping them in the zone on numerous occasions, but Toronto finally broke through in the third, as Auston Matthews slipped the game-winner between the legs of Sergei Bobrovsky and Max Pacioretty added an insurance marker.
Joseph Woll benefited from his teammates blocking 31 shots, but was steady and calm in an elimination game scenario, making 22 saves for his first playoff shutout.
“We played a simple game tonight and we were determined,” Leafs head coach Craig Berube said after the game. “We managed the puck really well tonight, (and) we didn’t have many turnovers, we got pucks deep, all the simple things.”
The things that mattered in the game were players performing better in roles that they are usually not strong in. Max Domi was particularly noticeable in the defensive zone, diving to knock pucks away from Florida players in scoring situations. Bobby McMann had his best game of the postseason, winning races to the puck and making an excellent pass to Pacioretty on the goal late in the third. Simon Benoit was particularly energetic, laying out Brad Marchand a couple of times and tussling with Matthew Tkachuk after the buzzer.
Most importantly, the Leafs got some sort of contribution offensively from Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, who combined for the game-winner and will need the same if they hope to complete the improbable comeback on Sunday.
One area of concern for Toronto is the status of winger Matthew Knies. The young forward collided behind the net with Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola and missed some time, and was noticeably hobbled when he did play. Berube indicated after the game that he did not know whether the 22-year-old would be available for Game 7, and on Saturday morning did not have any update on his availability.
While Toronto has to be given credit for playing with a higher level of effort and competing in a win-or-else scenario, they have to embrace the fact that they are underdogs in Game 7, even though they won the Atlantic and even though they have home-ice advantage. The Panthers have a Stanley Cup to their credit, and the Leafs have only known failure in the deciding games in the Shanahan era, and for them to win on Sunday, they will have to put forth the same type of effort that earned them victory in Game 6.
Quite the difference from the home loss the game before. Leafs can’t caught up in the Panthers shenanigans on Sunday, just come out and play a deliberate game. Go Leafs!
I hope Knies is OK. GLG.
If Matthews is engaged the Maple Leafs are a different team. Tanev has been a beast through the playoffs.