Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs Leave Fans Stunned with Play in Loss vs. Panthers
It was three days ago when Toronto Maple Leafs fans were chanting "We want Florida" in the streets surrounding Scotiabank Centre following the team's first-round victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Florida Panthers went on to secure a date with the Maple Leafs in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs following a first-round upset of the top-seeded Boston Bruins on Sunday, and now Toronto fans may be wishing they never broke out that chant in the first place.
The Panthers secured a 4-2 win in Game 1 against the Maple Leafs in Toronto, and the silence at Scotiabank Centre and the streets surrounding it was deafening.
Toronto went down 1-0 early in the first period on a goal by Nick Cousins, and Sam Bennett extended the Panthers' lead to 2-0 early in the second period.
The Maple Leafs fought back to tie the game 2-2 on goals by Matthew Knies—his first career NHL goal—and Michael Bunting in the second period.
However, the Panthers continued to display the ability to bounce back almost instantly—the Bruins saw a lot of this in the first round—and Carter Verhaeghe scored late in the second period to claim a 3-2 lead for Florida entering the third period.
The Panthers were impressive in the final frame, and Brandon Montour scored his sixth goal of the postseason to give Florida a 4-2 lead and put the game out of reach.
After the game, Maple Leafs fans were shocked by what had just occurred at their home rink, and they were also roasted for chanting "We want Florida" before the series began:
The Maple Leafs found out quickly what Florida is made of, and Toronto must make the necessary adjustments ahead of Game 2 on Thursday.
If the Leafs struggle to adjust, similarly to how the Bruins did in the first round, they could also find themselves on the golf course a little early this spring.
