Maple Leafs beat the Panthers 3-2 in an Atlantic Division showdown
Maple Leafs beat the Panthers 3-2 in an Atlantic Division showdown
Toronto Maple Leafs’ Simon Benoit (2) and goaltender Anthony Stolarz (41) celebrate after defeating the Florida Panthers in NHL hockey action in Toronto on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz (41) watches the play as Florida Panthers’ Carter Verhaeghe (23) battles with Maple Leafs’ John Tavares (91) during third period NHL hockey action in Toronto on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs’ Mitch Marner (16) celebrates his goal against the Florida Panthers during third period NHL hockey action in Toronto on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs’ Mitch Marner (16) and goaltender Anthony Stolarz (41) celebrate after defeating the Florida Panthers in NHL hockey action in Toronto on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (right) makes a save as Toronto Maple Leafs’ Mitch Marner (16) battles with Panthers’ Nate Schmidt (88) during third period NHL hockey action in Toronto on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) makes a save as Toronto Maple Leafs’ Scott Laughton (24) looks for the rebound during second period NHL hockey action in Toronto on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz (41) makes a save on Florida Panthers’ A.J. Greer (10) as Maple Leafs’ Jake McCabe (22) defends during third period NHL hockey action in Toronto on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs’ Morgan Rielly (44) and Brandon Carlo (25) collide with Florida Panthers’ Sam Bennett (9) and Carter Verhaeghe (23) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews (34) protects the puck from Florida Panthers’ Jesper Boqvist (70) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs’ Matthew Knies (23) tries to tip a puck in front of Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) as Gustav Forsling (42) defends during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs’ Simon Benoit (2) and goaltender Anthony Stolarz (41) celebrate after defeating the Florida Panthers in NHL hockey action in Toronto on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs’ Simon Benoit (2) and goaltender Anthony Stolarz (41) celebrate after defeating the Florida Panthers in NHL hockey action in Toronto on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz (41) watches the play as Florida Panthers’ Carter Verhaeghe (23) battles with Maple Leafs’ John Tavares (91) during third period NHL hockey action in Toronto on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz (41) watches the play as Florida Panthers’ Carter Verhaeghe (23) battles with Maple Leafs’ John Tavares (91) during third period NHL hockey action in Toronto on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs’ Mitch Marner (16) celebrates his goal against the Florida Panthers during third period NHL hockey action in Toronto on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs’ Mitch Marner (16) celebrates his goal against the Florida Panthers during third period NHL hockey action in Toronto on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs’ Mitch Marner (16) and goaltender Anthony Stolarz (41) celebrate after defeating the Florida Panthers in NHL hockey action in Toronto on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs’ Mitch Marner (16) and goaltender Anthony Stolarz (41) celebrate after defeating the Florida Panthers in NHL hockey action in Toronto on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (right) makes a save as Toronto Maple Leafs’ Mitch Marner (16) battles with Panthers’ Nate Schmidt (88) during third period NHL hockey action in Toronto on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (right) makes a save as Toronto Maple Leafs’ Mitch Marner (16) battles with Panthers’ Nate Schmidt (88) during third period NHL hockey action in Toronto on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) makes a save as Toronto Maple Leafs’ Scott Laughton (24) looks for the rebound during second period NHL hockey action in Toronto on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) makes a save as Toronto Maple Leafs’ Scott Laughton (24) looks for the rebound during second period NHL hockey action in Toronto on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz (41) makes a save on Florida Panthers’ A.J. Greer (10) as Maple Leafs’ Jake McCabe (22) defends during third period NHL hockey action in Toronto on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz (41) makes a save on Florida Panthers’ A.J. Greer (10) as Maple Leafs’ Jake McCabe (22) defends during third period NHL hockey action in Toronto on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs’ Morgan Rielly (44) and Brandon Carlo (25) collide with Florida Panthers’ Sam Bennett (9) and Carter Verhaeghe (23) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs’ Morgan Rielly (44) and Brandon Carlo (25) collide with Florida Panthers’ Sam Bennett (9) and Carter Verhaeghe (23) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews (34) protects the puck from Florida Panthers’ Jesper Boqvist (70) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews (34) protects the puck from Florida Panthers’ Jesper Boqvist (70) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs’ Matthew Knies (23) tries to tip a puck in front of Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) as Gustav Forsling (42) defends during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Maple Leafs’ Matthew Knies (23) tries to tip a puck in front of Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) as Gustav Forsling (42) defends during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Toronto, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
TORONTO (AP) — Mitch Marner scored the goal-ahead goal midway through the third period, Anthony Stolarz made 29 saves and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Florida Panthers 3-2 in an Atlantic Division showdown Wednesday night.
John Tavares and Matthew Knies also scored to help division-leading Toronto wrap up a playoff spot and and move three points ahead of Tampa Bay and four in front of Florida. Marner and Knies also had assists.
Sam Reinhart had a goal and an assist for defending Stanley Cip champion Florida. Gustav Forsling also scored, and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 23 shots.
Takeaways
Panthers: Florida was without captain Aleksander Barkov (upper-body injury) after he was hurt Tuesday night in a 3-2 overtime loss in Montreal. The club also continues to play without star forward Matthew Tkachuk (lower-body injury) and defenseman Aaron Ekblad, (20-game suspension).
Maple Leafs: Tavares has 15 goals in 20 games since the 4 Nations Face-Off to lead the NHL. The 34-year-old pending unrestricted free agent has 36 goals in in 68 games this season.
Key moment
Marner made it 2-1 with 9:10 left after Bobrovsky, who stopped Bobby McMann on a breakaway moments earlier, couldn’t squeeze the initial shot off the stick of Auston Matthews.
Key stat
Matthews needs one goal to become the fifth player in franchise history with at least 30 in their first season as captain. He would join Rick Vaive (54), Darryl Sittler (41), Mats Sundin (33) and Dave Keon (32).
Up next
Both teams play Saturday night. The Panthers are at Ottawa. The Maple Leafs host Columbus.
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