Maple Leafs-Panthers playoff schedule released for entire second-round series
The
Maple Leafs
will start their second-round
NHL
playoff series against the Florida Panthers on Monday night,
as the victors of the Battle of Ontario
face the
victors of the Battle of Florida
.
Given the Leafs earned home-ice advantage by winning the Atlantic Division, the first two games will be played at Scotiabank Arena. Game 1 will start at 8 p.m., while Game 2 goes Wednesday at 7 p.m.
The series then shifts to Florida for Games 3 and 4 — Friday and Sunday, respectively — with start times still to be determined.
The Panthers, who beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games in the first round, are the reigning Stanley Cup champions. They also beat the Leafs in five games in the second round of the 2023 playoffs. The lasting image of that series was former
Panthers defenceman Radko Gudas standing over and screaming at Leafs goalie Joseph Woll
after the Panthers scored to clinch the series.
'It's going to be another hard series,' captain Auston Matthews said after the Leafs eliminated Ottawa in six games. 'They're obviously the defending champs, back-to-back Cup finals. It's going to be hard. We have to reset, do our homework and rest up, do what we can and go in there with confidence and go in there with some pushback.'
The Panthers won three of four meetings against the Leafs in the regular season, outscoring them 13-7. Sam Bennett (three goals, two assists) and Sam Reinhart (two goals, three assists) had five points each.
John Tavares led the Leafs in the season series with three goals and Mitch Marner had two goals and an assist.
The Leafs signed three players off the
Cup-winning Panthers roster in the off-season
: goalie Anthony Stolarz, forward Steven Lorentz and defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
'It's going to be hard,' Stolarz said. 'At this stage of the season, every game, every series is going to be hard. We're down to the final bit of teams here. Everyone wants the same goal. Everyone wants the Stanley Cup, so teams are going to lay it on the line.'
(Best-of-seven series)
Game 1 —
Monday, May 5: Florida at Toronto, 8 p.m.
Game 2 —
Wednesday, May 7: Florida at Toronto, 7 p.m.
Game 3 —
Friday, May 9: Toronto at Florida, TBD
Game 4 —
Sunday, May 11: Toronto at Florida, TBD
*Game 5 —
Wednesday, May 14: TBD Florida at Toronto, TBD
*Game 6 —
Friday, May 16: Toronto at Florida, TBD
*Game 7 —
Sunday, May 18: Florida at Toronto, TBD
*If necessary.
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