They couldn’t actually do it, could they? David Alter gives his take on whether the Toronto Maple Leafs can finally get their hands on the Stanley Cup.
It’s amazing what a single moment can do to change the mentality of a fanbase. When the Toronto Maple Leafs squandered a 3-0 series lead against the heavy-underdog Ottawa Senators, letting it get down to 3-2, fans were understandably upset. Could the unthinkable happen? Was a “reverse-sweep”—the term for squandering a 3-0 series lead—a real possibility for Toronto?
The good news for Toronto is: No. That didn’t happen. Just like that, the narrative has shifted from a team that had won a playoff round only once in 20 years to one that has reached the second round for the second time in three years.
As they did in 2023, the Maple Leafs meet the Florida Panthers in the second round. And just like last time, the Leafs had home-ice advantage. Only this time, they’ve made it count. Leading 2-0 heading to the Amerant Bank Arena, momentum is with Toronto.
What could help this time around is how well they played defensively in their series win against the Sens. When things got dicey in the third period after Toronto gave up a 2-0 lead to the Senators, they showed composure. A goal from Max Pacioretty helped secure the win.
Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube said he could sense the composure on the bench after the game was tied during their play in Ottawa. “I didn’t have to say anything to them,” he told reporters.
The Leafs did a good job of blocking the interior with bigger defensive additions like Chris Tanev and Brandon Carlo. However, No. 34 has been an X-factor for the Maple Leafs. He led the first round in face-off wins among players who took at least 80 draws, with a success rate of 59.5 percent.
Three former Panthers players from last year’s Stanley Cup-winning team could offer the Leafs an edge in the series, as all of them have gone on to play key roles in Toronto. Anthony Stolarz performed well in his first playoff series as a starter, playing in all six games, and is essentially Toronto’s starting goaltender after winning the job in a competition during the season with Joseph Woll. Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson has provided some depth and aggression while also contributing offensively. And Steven Lorentz has become a dependable defensive bottom-six forward that has earned the full trust from Berube.
Toronto’s coach admitted he chatted with all three Panthers alumni to get a sense of their room. “It’s more their mindset than anything,” he admitted.
Now, looking at potential outcomes and player performance…
Mitch Marner became a dad recently and celebrated with the winning goal to put Toronto two games ahead. If the Maple Leafs are going to advance to the Eastern Conference Final for the first time since 2002, he’s going to have to have a big series, and he’s living up to that so far.
The Leafs showed some character in Round 1, and a 2-0 lead against a Panthers team who have gone to the Cup final twice in back-to-back years is a great spot to be in. However, there remains plenty of work to do.