That’s who they are.
That’s what they do.
That’s how the Florida Panthers have played on their good nights for three springs now. And Wednesday was one of their best nights, a hockey clinic where the Panthers did something more humiliating to the Toronto Maples Leafs than connect with some punches, as they willingly do any night.
They shut down Toronto’s stars for a second consecutive game, chased its goalie, caused one of hockey’s big arenas to start booing in the second period and empty out in the third and now stand one game from advancing to a third straight Eastern Conference finals.
It felt by any measure except their 3-2 series lead like the Panthers won more than just Game 5 in Toronto, 6-1.
It felt like they broke Toronto.
The Panthers would never say that. Not now. Not with one win still needed. And we’ll see if this was a one-off for Toronto and it can recover back to the previous four games that were tight, trip-wire affairs the whole way.
“Tonight was not a good game for anybody — all of us,” Toronto coach Craig Berube said.
You don’t have to know the NHL to know Toronto’s plight. They’re the Miami Dolphins. Popular team. Great history. But Toronto hasn’t won it all in so many sports generations its 1967 Stanley Cup needs carbon dating. It’s spent money, signed stars, revolved regimes, but has made it past the first round twice in 20 seasons.
Again, sound familiar, South Florida (except the second-round trips)?
Did Wednesday look familiar, too?
This is was the Panthers at their suffocating best. They made Game 5 in Toronto look like a similar and exaggerated Game 4 in Sunrise.
Toronto’s offensive rush speed of the first few games — did anyone see it? And the Panthers’ defense-first system — only a trash goal near game’s end prevented two shutouts in a row. As it was, Toronto went 143 minutes between goals.
Oh, Toronto had its chances Wednesday. Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky had a game-changing save on William Nylander’s breakaway midway through the first period when it was 0-0. He made another peg-leg save when a puck ricocheted hard off the boards to tee up for Toronto’s Matthew Knies by the net.
Two Toronto shots hit the crossbar on the same shift early in the second period. If either scores, maybe the night changes. So, even blowout wins have their moments.
But the past two games followed full form of the Panthers’ defensive identity, just as this series followed the Panthers’ three-year blueprint as it’s advanced, as they mucked up play with their forecheck, as their physicality took its toll, as they rolled out three talent-rich lines and a physical fourth line.
The numbers were even Wednesday night on shots (thought the Panthers had a 14-4 first-period lead) and hits and face-offs. The telling number was turnovers Toronto had 20 to the Panthers’ nine. Four of the Panthers goals came on their forecheck leading to Toronto turnovers.
Take the Panthers’ first goal. Toronto star Auston Matthews had the puck behind his net, had it taken away. As the Panthers moved the puck that possession, Toronto defenseman Morgan Rielly could have got it. But Sam Reinhart grabbed it and dropped the pass to Aaron Ekblad, whose wrist shot made it 1-0.
Or take the Panthers’ third goal. Toronto star Mitch Marner tried a silly, spin pass in mid-ice that was intercepted. A pass later, Reinhart made a nifty, cross-ice pass that Jesper Boqvist tucked in the net.
Do you see how one team feels like its found its game this series and the other is crumbing?
Boqvist, by the way, came off the bench to start on the first line for the injured Evan Rodrigues. Again: From the bench to the first line. And scored. Do you see the depth at work here?
Because the recipe is easier to see. The Panthers got away from it at series’ start. But now everything is in order again. Wednesday was what the Panthers do. It’s how they look.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice doesn’t believe in momentum. And for good reason considering how quickly things turn. But he believes in strangling defense. He believes in physicality adding up. He believes in dumping in the puck and chasing it down and turning such play into goals.
That’s who the Panthers were again Wednesday. They need one more of those to move on. Friday in Sunrise sounds about right.
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