The Toronto Maple Leafs needed a massive result on Wednesday night, and they got it. Toronto defeated the Florida Panthers in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs to avoid a second-round sweep.
For the first time in the series, the team's stars showed up. Toronto received a two-point night from Mitch Marner and a goal from William Nylander to lead the effort against the Panthers.
Following the win, Marner spoke to the media. When asked about the pressure on the Maple Leafs given their situation, the Toronto star dropped a rather strong take.
“Who cares? We're focused on ourselves. We've got to keep this effort up and make sure we bring it back to Toronto,” Marner told the media via Maple Leafs reporter David Alter.
Nylander got the scoring started with a goal in the second period. He took advantage of a loose puck in front of the Panthers goal and Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky couldn't react quickly enough.
In the third period, the Maple Leafs extended their lead on Marner's third goal of the playoffs. The Panthers did score one of their own as Sam Reinhart finally solved Maple Leafs goalie Joseph Woll. However, it wasn't enough.
Game 4 marked the first time one of Toronto's star players scored in the series. Players such as Auston Matthews and John Tavares have yet to score a goal against Florida in this second-round matchup.
The work is only beginning for the Maple Leafs, who now trail the Panthers 3-1 in the series. The teams head back to Toronto for Game 5 on Friday as the Maple Leafs once again look to keep their season alive.
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