Mitch Marner scored the decisive goal just 17 seconds after the Florida Panthers tied the game in the third period, helping the Toronto Maple Leafs secure a 4-3 victory and take a 2-0 lead in their second-round playoff series on Wednesday night at Scotiabank Arena.
It was a special night for Marner, who celebrated his 28th birthday earlier in the week and became a first-time father over the weekend. Now, he's a playoff hero as well.
Game Summary
- Final Score: Toronto Maple Leafs 4, Florida Panthers 3
- Series Status: Toronto leads best-of-seven series 2-0
- Venue: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
Leafs Take Command Behind Marner and Woll
- Mitch Marner netted the game-winning goal at 5:50 of the third period, just moments after Florida’s Anton Lundell tied it. His shot from the wall slipped through traffic and beat Sergei Bobrovsky.
- Joseph Woll, starting for the first time since April 17 in place of the injured Anthony Stolarz, delivered a steady performance with 25 saves, including a critical stop on Mackie Samoskevich late in regulation.
- Jake McCabe made a game-saving defensive play, clearing a loose puck from the crease in the closing minutes.
Key Contributions for Toronto
- Max Pacioretty: 1 goal, 1 assist, including a power-play tip-in late in the first period.
- Max Domi: Scored on a 2-on-1 to give Toronto a 3-2 lead late in the second; also added an assist.
- William Nylander: Scored his sixth goal of the playoffs, tying the game in the second period.
- Morgan Rielly: Tallied 2 assists, anchoring the blue line and power play.
Toronto's special teams finished 1-for-3 on the power play, with the top unit struggling early but the second unit delivering a key goal from Pacioretty.
Panthers Fight but Fall Short
- Anton Lundell: Scored the 3-3 equalizer in the third period and added an assist.
- Aleksander Barkov: Scored his second goal of the postseason on Florida’s first power play.
- Brad Marchand: Found the back of the net for the first time this postseason, capitalizing on a Toronto turnover.
- Sergei Bobrovsky: Made 16 saves but was caught off guard by Marner’s game-winner.
Florida nearly tied it again late, with Sam Reinhart ringing a shot off the post in the final three minutes.
Personal Milestone Fuels Marner
Marner honored the recent birth of his son, Miles, by adding an “M” to his equipment and playing inspired hockey.
“Just calmness,” Marner said. “I try to stay calm as much as I can throughout games. It’s always a roller-coaster ride… I’m trying to play for him.”
Game Flow Recap
First Period:
- 10:58 — Barkov scores on Florida’s first power play (1-0 FLA)
- 18:19 — Pacioretty ties it with a power-play tip-in (1-1)
Second Period:
- 0:15 — Marchand gives Florida a 2-1 lead off a Rielly turnover
- 4:18 — Nylander ties it on a feed from Pacioretty (2-2)
- 17:09 — Domi one-times a Lorentz pass for a 3-2 Leafs lead
Third Period:
- 5:33 — Lundell scores to tie the game 3-3
- 5:50 — Marner scores game-winner through traffic (4-3 TOR)
What’s Next
- Game 3: Friday, May 10, 2025
- Location: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise, Florida
- Current Series: Maple Leafs lead 2-0
