Florida Panthers fall to Toronto Maple Leafs, Atlantic Division crown less likely

In a tightly contested division showdown, the Toronto Maple Leafs edged the Florida Panthers 3-2 on Wednesday night at Scotiabank Arena. With this win, the Leafs solidified their position atop the division, moving to 96 points and clinching their ninth consecutive playoff berth. The victory also gives Toronto a cushion toward its first Atlantic Division title since its inception in 2013.

The game opened with high energy, as both teams exchanged quality chances, but neither could find the back of the net in a scoreless first period. Florida’s Gustav Forsling broke the stalemate with a powerful slap shot to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead early in the second. However, the Maple Leafs quickly rallied, with John Tavares netting his 36th goal of the season to tie the game at one.

The third period saw the game intensify, as Mitch Marner capitalized on a scramble in front of the net to score the go-ahead goal. Just minutes later, rookie Matthew Knies notched another goal, extending Toronto’s lead to 3-1. Florida managed to claw back with a late power-play goal from Sam Reinhart, but it was too little, too late, as the Leafs held on for the win.

How important is winning the division?

The win pushes Toronto three points ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning atop the division. The Panthers now sit in third place, one point behind Tampa. WIth this trio of teams all but securing postseason spots, just how much value does winning the division have?

Well, it depends on who you ask. Florida coach Paul Maurice dismissed its value entirely. On Tuesday, Maurice told reporters, “I see no value in (finishing first). You’re going to have to beat a team out of Ontario, and you’re going to have to beat a team out of Florida to get to where you want to go.”

Maple Leafs Captain Auston Matthews had a different take before last night’s win. “I think (winning the division is) in the mindset,” and “You want to go up and get that, for sure."

I agree with Paul Maurice on this one. Winning the division can be of differing levels of importance to different teams. The Leafs have only won their division twice since 1938, so it’s understandable that their fans and players want to earn it. 

For the Panthers, though, reaching the Stanley Cup finals in the last two years should deemphasize regular-season achievements. Florida knows nothing matters until the postseason, and their focus needs to be on getting key players like Matthew Tkachuk healthy and ready for another deep run.

The Panthers have two days off before a road tilt against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. The game is scheduled for 2:00 PM Eastern.