Panthers wallop listless Leafs 6-1 in Game 5 to take 3-2 series lead

The Toronto Maple Leafs find themselves in a dire situation after a crushing 6-1 loss to the Florida Panthers in Game 5 of their second-round playoff series. Sergei Bobrovsky stood tall in net for the Panthers, making 31 saves to give his team a 3-2 series lead.

Jesper Boqvist, who had been a healthy scratch in the previous two games, made an impact with a goal and an assist. Aaron Ekblad, Dmitry Kulikov, Niko Mikkola, A.J. Greer, and Sam Bennett also found the back of the net for the Panthers. Sam Reinhart and Nate Schmidt contributed two assists each, while Ekblad had a two-point night.

The Leafs struggled to generate any offense against Bobrovsky, with their lone goal coming from Nick Robertson late in the third period. Joseph Woll had a tough night in goal, allowing five goals on 25 shots before being pulled in favor of Matt Murray.

As the series shifts back to Florida for Game 6, the Leafs will need to regroup quickly to avoid elimination. Game 7, if necessary, would be back in Toronto.

The Panthers dominated from the start, with Ekblad opening the scoring in the first period. Kulikov, Boqvist, and Mikkola added to the lead in the second period, putting the game out of reach for the Leafs.

Head coach Craig Berube tried to shake things up by starting his fourth line in the third period, but the Leafs were unable to mount a comeback. Greer and Bennett added to the Panthers’ lead, leaving Leafs fans disappointed and frustrated.

Toronto made lineup changes for Game 5, with Robertson and David Kampf drawing in. Boqvist replaced the injured Evan Rodrigues in the lineup. The Leafs will need to make adjustments heading into Game 6 to keep their season alive.

The series has been physical and intense, with emotions running high on both sides. Aleksander Barkov, the Panthers’ captain, was on the receiving end of a questionable hit from Max Domi in Game 4. Despite the controversy, Barkov remained focused on the task at hand, leading his team to a crucial victory in Game 5.

As the Leafs face a must-win Game 6 in Florida, they will need to find a way to solve Bobrovsky and generate more offense to keep their Stanley Cup hopes alive. It will be a challenging road ahead, but anything can happen in the unpredictable world of playoff hockey.