The Toronto Maple Leafs know they've dug themselves a hole by dropping the first two games of their second-round series to the Florida Panthers, but they don't appear worried just yet.
"The challenge is the challenge and it's pretty obvious of course, but the group feels good and remains confident and optimistic," the head coach said Saturday, per NHL.com's Dave McCarthy. "We're excited to get out on the road, it's a place we've developed some confidence, but it doesn't make it any easier.
"The puck will drop and the game will be hard and competitive again but we just have to stay with it as a group, minimize our mistakes, stay on the attack and keep shooting."
Many considered Toronto the favorites after the eighth-seeded Panthers advanced to Round 2, but the Leafs have been unable to capitalize on the momentum of their first series win in 19 years, losing twice on home ice in underwhelming fashion.
The Leafs never led in Game 1, then coughed up an early 2-0 lead in Game 2. Keefe called his club's parade of costly turnovers in the latest loss "baffling," but he and the players feel they can fix it.
"To my knowledge or my experience, I don't think there's ever been a team in the history of the NHL who has gone through the playoffs and had great runs without going through adversity," defenseman Luke Schenn said.
The Leafs haven't trailed 2-0 in a series since 2018 against the Boston Bruins, when they ultimately lost in seven games.
While the odds are against Toronto to reach its first conference final since 2002, a trip to Florida might be exactly what the club needs, as it went 3-0 in the Sunshine State in its first-round clash with Tampa Bay.
