SUNRISE, Fla. — Uh oh.
The Florida Panthers finally found their top form in Game 4, and this impressive performance should serve as a swift wake-up call for the Toronto Maple Leafs, much like spotting a shark fin while surfing.
More concerning than the 2-0 shutout loss on Sunday and the series now being tied is *how* the Panthers achieved the victory. They completely controlled the game, dictating the style of play and executing their strategy flawlessly against the visiting Leafs.
The Panthers` aggressive forecheck troubled the Leafs from the start, effectively stifling Toronto`s offensive efforts and minimizing dangerous odd-man rush opportunities.
After a difficult loss in Toronto, the Panthers responded forcefully on their home ice.
Leafs coach Craig Berube commented, “They are doing a great job of overwhelming us with numbers. We need to do a better job of getting the puck out of our zone more quickly.”
Auston Matthews agreed with this assessment. The star center admitted that his team was “outworked” and “outplayed,” emphasizing the need for the Leafs to generate more momentum in the game.
Berube suggested that the Leafs` frequent penalties prevented them from building any significant energy or momentum.
“Some of our penalties definitely killed the momentum,” Berube stated. “That was a key thing in the game, the penalties took away from us.”
Toronto received five penalties during Sunday`s loss, four of which occurred just in the first period.
Winger Calle Järnkrok commented on the Panthers` power-play chances, saying, “It feels like in their rink they kind of just get whatever they want, so we`ve got to make sure that we`re not going to the box.”
This is the second time in this series – and the second time in five nights – that the Leafs have been shut out. They have now gone eight consecutive periods without scoring a goal against Sergei Bobrovsky.
Their top six forwards struggled offensively, collectively managing only four shots on goal in the defeat.
Star forward Mitch Marner did not record a single shot in the loss.
Only four Maple Leafs players have scored in this series:
- Auston Matthews
- William Nylander
- Nick Robertson
- David Kämpf
It is now time for other players on the team to step up and contribute offensively.
“We need more contributions from everybody,” Berube stated. “We have to find a way to score some goals.”
In their own defensive zone, the Maple Leafs must handle the puck faster and more decisively to counter the Panthers` aggressive pressure.
“They`re just coming with a lot of pressure,” Järnkrok added, “so we just got to be able to move it quicker and support the puck better.”
The Toronto Maple Leafs urgently need to make adjustments now.
