Maple Leafs, Panthers set for pivotal Game 5 in roller-coaster series tied 2-2

Florida Panthers players clash with Toronto Maple Leafs players after Game 4 of their second-round NHL playoff series on Sunday, May 11, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin)

TORONTO — Craig Berube barked orders from the centre circle.

The Maple Leafs head coach watched intently as his team practised its breakouts and power play — two of the reasons Toronto’s 2-0 lead in its second-round series with the Panthers evaporated in Florida’s heat.

Discipline, or a lack thereof, is another facet that needs to be cleaned up.

Berube will be looking for improvement in all three areas. If it doesn’t happen, Toronto could be in deep trouble.

The Leafs host the Panthers on Wednesday in an Atlantic Division playoff matchup tied 2-2. The series now stands as a best-of-three for a spot in the Eastern Conference final after Florida held serve on home ice, including Sunday’s stifling 2-0 triumph.

The defending Stanley Cup champions got back to their vaunted forecheck at home in a pair of victories following consecutive defeats in Toronto. That bottled up the Leafs’ ability to quickly move the puck from defence to their skilled forwards, often killing rush chances before they had even begun.

“Definitely a heavier forecheck team the last two games,” Berube said Tuesday following practice. “Pucks are going in deep and they’re coming.”

Toronto’s power play, meanwhile, is clicking at just 13.3 per cent in the series after scoring six times on 17 opportunities in the opening round.

The Panthers present a different challenge with a pressure-packed approach when down a skater. The Leafs, who have two man-advantage goals in the second round, were unable to handle that aggressive style Sunday when they got nothing from three power plays in the second period.

“Try to work the puck around,” Toronto winger Mitch Marner said of the best attack plan against Florida’s kill. “Get them tired and then from that point on, just try to exploit areas.”

Before those fruitless power-play opportunities Sunday, the Leafs held a parade to the penalty box in the opening 20 minutes. Toronto, thanks to the stellar goaltending of Joseph Woll, nearly survived, but gave up the game’s first goal seconds after a 5-on-3 expired.

“We can’t go to the box that many times, especially four (minor penalties) in the first period,” said Berube, who went with the same defence pairs and forward lines at practice. “Takes your momentum away, takes certain guys out of their rhythm on the bench, and overusing other guys. It’s not a good recipe. Gotta be more disciplined.

“The stick (penalties) aren’t good … those are the ones, in my opinion, that hurt you.”

Woll, who made 35 stops in Game 4 as one of Toronto’s few bright spot, said his group remains resolute in its belief.

“We’re going to stick to our process and play the same we have all season, and let that take care of itself,” he said. “We have a lot of confidence.”

The Leafs, however, haven’t won a series tied 2-2 since 2004. An organization with plenty of baggage, Toronto’s playoff demons are hard to shake.

The Original Six franchise — one without a Cup victory since 1967 — led the Panthers 3-1 in the second period of Game 3 with a chance to grab a stranglehold before Florida got off the mat.

The Leafs didn’t have an answer. They need one now. Game 6, with either Toronto or Florida facing elimination, goes Friday back down south.

“We can’t focus on what’s ahead of us,” Marner said. “We’ve just got to focus on what’s going on right now. That’s all we can worry about.”

There’s little room for error.

STOLARZ SKATES

Anthony Stolarz was on the ice ahead of practice. It marked the first time the goaltender has been seen by media members since leaving Game 1 after taking an elbow to the head from Panthers centre Sam Bennett.

Berube said Stolarz is progressing, but there’s no timeline for his return.

“Good little morale boost,” said Woll, who split Toronto’s crease with Stolarz much of the regular season. “It’s nice to see.”

QUESTION MARK

Panthers head coach Paul Maurice told reporters in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., that the status of Evan Rodrigues for Game 5 is unclear.

The forward, who practised before Florida travelled to Toronto, has yet to be cleared after taking a big hit Sunday from Leafs defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson that resulted in an interference penalty.

LOOKING AHEAD

Berube had a chat with Max Domi at the end of practice. The forward was fined US$5,000 by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety after he crushed Florida captain Aleksander Barkov into the boards from behind in the dying seconds of Game 4.

Domi was asked for his thoughts on the sequence.

“Just looking forward to the next game, bud,” he replied.

A followup question on any potential carry-over into Wednesday got the same response.

Berube, meanwhile, doesn’t expect Domi to change his approach.

“Your emotions get high and things happen,” said the coach. “That’s part of the game. We all know that. He’s going to be fine. Just go out and play his game and do his thing. You can’t worry about if there’s going to be a reaction.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 13, 2025.

Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press