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 recreation of their second-round playoff collection.
Sam Bennett had a objective and an help and Carter Verhaeghe and Nick Cousins additionally scored for Florida. Aleksander Barkov had two assists.
Matthew Knies had his first NHL objective and Michael Bunting additionally scored for Toronto. Ilya Samsonov stopped 24 photographs.
Sport 2 of the best-of-seven collection is Thursday.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Florida Panthers embrace heart Nick Cousins (21) who scored his first objective of the playoffs within the first interval because the Toronto Maple Leafs play the Florida Panthers in recreation one within the second spherical of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs at Scotiabank Enviornment in Toronto. Might 2, 2023. (Steve Russell/Toronto Star through Getty Photos)
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 era of distress Saturday when John Tavares scored in extra time of Sport 6 in opposition to 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 Enviornment.
Verhaeghe, who scored the dramatic winner in Sport 7 in opposition to 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 objective 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 objective in opposition to the Toronto Maple Leafs through the second interval in Sport One of many Second Spherical of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs on the Scotiabank Enviornment on Might 2, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Kevin Sousa/NHLI through Getty Photos)
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 greatest 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 extra time of Sport 6 for the Philadelphia Flyers to get rid of Toronto on Might 4, 2004 — a stretch of 18 years, 11 months and 28 days.
After Toronto had quite a few terrific appears to be like 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 submit earlier within the interval, Samsonov made large 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 some extent shot previous Samsonov that originally hit the stick of Knies.
The Toronto rookie made amends 11 seconds later when he scored his first skilled objective on a highlight-reel effort between his skates along with his again to Florida’s objective after Bobrovsky made the preliminary save.
Maple Leafs defenseman Luke Schenn then rocked Tkachuk with an enormous hit within the impartial zone earlier than Bunting, who was suspended three video games within the first spherical and made a wholesome scratch for one more, 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
Aside from scoring the extra time objective that gave the Maple Leafs their first collection win in 19 years, the Toronto captain and his spouse just lately welcome their third youngster, a daughter named Rae.
“An absolute whirlwind for him,” Toronto heart Ryan O’Reilly stated earlier than the sport.
Nick Cousins #21 of the Florida Panthers celebrates his objective in opposition to the Toronto Maple Leafs through the first interval in Sport One of many Second Spherical of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs on the Scotiabank Enviornment on Might 2, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Mark Blinch/NHLI through Getty Photos)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
MAURICE LOOKS BACK
Panthers head coach Paul Maurice was behind the bench when the Carolina Hurricanes topped the Maple Leafs within the 2002 Jap Convention closing.
“I don’t suppose we gave up a five-on-five objective in that collection,” he stated. “That was again in when you possibly can get away with clutching and grabbing.
“We had been actually good at it.”
