The top place in the Atlantic Division will be at the Toronto Maples Leafs when they host Florida Panthers on Wednesday.
The Atlantic leading Maple Leafs (45-25-4, 94 points) participates in this crucial competition with a two-point advantage compared to Panthers (44-26-4, 92 points) and a one-point lead before Tampa Bay Lightning. Toronto is 6-1-1 in the last eight matches.
After losing a chance for two points in a 6-5 shootout loss to the San Jose Sharks on Thursday, Maple Leaf’s Los Angeles Kings 3-1 defeated on Saturday before taking out Anaheim Ducks 3-2 a day later.
“I thought the team competed hard (against Anaheim),” Toronto coach Craig Berube said. “I thought we were a little tired and gassed, or it looked like it anyway, but we did a good job of defending. We did what we had to do to win the game.”
Mitch Marner, Max Domi and Steven Lorentz each scored a goal and Joseph Woll stopped 29 shots for Maple Leafs.
Marner extended her score streak to five matches (two goals, six assists) with his goal during the second period.
Marner expressed pride in his team’s effort over the California swing in California.
“It’s not an easy road trip in any way. Three games in four nights, to get used to a three -hour change in time,” he said. “(The San Jose game was not easy. We made some big mistakes that they counted on, but I thought we were fighting back to get a point, which is good. And then these two last, both teams are very good, very difficult to play against. We knew these are important points, we wanted to get them. I’m just happy with us to dig in.”
Panthers will present another challenge to the Maple Leafs, and the Florida squad has the latest story on its side by getting out at the top in each of the last three meetings. Most recently, Florida published a 3-2 victory over Toronto on March 13.
Panthers participate in the competition on little rest after falling to Montreal Canadia’s 3-2 on overtime on Tuesday.
Canadia’s captain Nick Suzuki haunted Florida by scoring for 8.4 seconds in the third period before he only got the winner 29 seconds to overtime.
Tuesday represented Panther’s second loss in a row for Montreal. They fell 4-2 to the Canadiens at Hemis on Sunday.
Niko Mikkola and Mackie Samoskevich each made one for Panthers on Tuesday, while Vitek Vanecek made 18 rescues in the losing effort.
Sergei Bobrovsky should return to the fold for Panthers on Wednesday. The twice Vezina Trophy receiver owns an impressive 15-8-1 career record against Toronto.
Samoskevich had this to say when asked about what Panthers would expect in Wednesday’s collision with Toronto.
“I am sure they will shoot out, they will feel good at the beginning, so we have to be ready immediately and I am sure the building will be juiced just like this one. So have to get our senses right tonight and be ready for tomorrow.”
-Field level media
