FORT LAUDERDALE — The Toronto Maple Leafs` $24.2-million duo of Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner had a rough outing in Game 5`s dominant 6-1 loss to the Florida Panthers. Both players were directly involved in turnovers that led to Panthers goals.
Matthews has yet to score in the entire series, while Marner has registered only one shot on goal during the team`s current three-game skid.
Despite their recent struggles and the pressure mounting, coach Craig Berube intends to keep his two key offensive stars paired together for Game 6. The Maple Leafs face elimination, with their playoff future on the line.
When asked about the possibility of splitting up Matthews and Marner to present a different look to the Panthers, Berube commented on Friday:
“It’s always a consideration,” he stated.
“I`ve split them up this year at times, and I never felt that it really did anything, to be honest with you. These guys have been a combo for a long time, and they`ve had a lot of success.
“So, I trust them. I trust them. I believe in them.”
To be fair, the overall performance of the entire Leafs roster in Game 5 was widely criticized. The team did not display the necessary compete level.
However, the Maple Leafs have not lost four straight games or three in a row on the road previously this season. Their hope for Friday`s crucial Game 6 stems from the belief that they are capable of significantly better execution and effort than they have shown over the past four days.
Addressing his line`s difficulties in Game 5, Matthews broadened his perspective.
“The puck battles weren’t great for us as a team, and those are so important. They`re a big, heavy team, and they`re strong,” Matthews said after the morning skate in Fort Lauderdale. Regarding his scoring drought, he added, “I`m just going to keep shooting and keep believing that the next one`s going in.”
Marner discussed the difficulty of generating offense against the Panthers` well-organized defense and their sharp goaltender, Sergei Bobrovsky.
He is focused on finding ways to disrupt Florida`s defensive structure to create opportunities for shots from distance, looking for deflections and rebounds.
Marner, whose contract status as a pending unrestricted free agent has been a topic of discussion, emphasized that his current focus is solely on the process of winning the game, not on the potential consequences if they lose.
