The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Florida Panthers battled deep into Game 3 on Friday night before the Panthers eventually got back in the series with a dramatic 5-4 win in overtime in South Florida. This battle of powerhouses is now very close after three games, but the Maple Leafs still lead two games to one.

For nearly 80 minutes, two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference went back and forth in a physical, high-intensity game. At one point, the two were going so hard that Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe had an equipment malfunction. After McCabe's skate broke, teammates Matthew Knies gave him a lift to the bench.

The Leafs clearly left it all out there, but it still wasn't enough even in a game that they led 2-0 early in the first period. With their backs against the wall and their title defense on the line, Florida battled all the way back in a gritty game to get the win.

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In addition to giving his teammate a ride to the bench with his stick, Knies had a big night in the scoring column. He finished with a goal to open the scoring just 23 seconds into the game and an assist on Morgan Reilly's game-tying goal in the third period. McCabe didn't record a point, but he finished with three blocked shots and was a force defensively.

The Maple Leafs will have another chance to take full control over this series on Sunday evening when the two square off again in Game 4 in Florida. That game is a big swing game in this series; Toronto can go up 3-1 with a win, while Florida can tie things up at two by protecting home ice.

Knies and company will want to get ahead early in this series and get a win in Game 4. Late in a series like this, the championship experience that the Panthers gained last season can show up in a big way, and that isn something that Toronto doesn't have at this stage. As a result, Sunday's game could be pivotal in deciding who advances to the conference finals.