2 keys to victory for Maple Leafs in Game 2 versus Panthers

It wasn't a flawless performance, but the Maple Leafs held off a late charge by the Panthers on Monday night to win Game 1 of the second-round series 5-4.

Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz left around the midway point after taking two hits to the head - a mask-rattling Sam Reinhart wrist shot in the first period and an unpenalized Sam Bennett elbow in the second. Stolarz was seen vomiting at Toronto's bench before getting pulled and transported to a local hospital for further evaluation. Backup Joseph Woll turned aside 17 of 20 shots in relief.

Here are two keys to victory for the Leafs in Wednesday's Game 2.

Minimize Woll's east-west weakness

It's no surprise head coach Craig Berube confirmed Wednesday that Woll will be Toronto's Game 2 starter with Stolarz still "recovering."

Woll wasn't spectacular in his 29-plus minutes Monday - he coughed up the puck behind the net and let in a stoppable Uvis Balinskis shot for the Panthers' third goal. Still, the 26-year-old fared well for a guy who hadn't seen action in 18 days.

Woll's statistical profile is rock solid. He posted a .915 save percentage and saved 15 goals above expected in 42 regular-season games, according to Sportlogiq. There was no single type of scoring chance - off the rush, cycle, forecheck, rebound - that beat him significantly more often than the others.

Yet there's one red flag deep in his 2024-25 profile: Woll had trouble stopping shots generated off east-to-west seam passes. (These are scenarios in which the offense forces the goalie to shift from the left post to the right post.)

It's an extremely difficult stop for any goalie to make, especially if a screen's involved, but Woll has been uniquely overmatched. He allowed 19 goals off 49 east-to-west seam-pass shots in the regular season for a woeful .612 SV%, bringing his career average to .702 in 79 games. (The league average since Woll entered the league in 2021-22 is .738.)

Florida's likely looking to exploit this weakness. The pass that led to Eetu Luostarinen's Game 1 goal didn't qualify as an east-to-west seam pass because it didn't cross over to the left side of the offensive zone. However, that's exactly the kind of disorienting attack that often fools Woll.

Leafs skaters have a role to play here. They need to fully commit to defending every inch of the defensive zone, like they've done for most of the postseason. That means tight gaps, well-timed hits, sticks in passing and shooting lanes, and an overall doggedness.

There's a reason why it's become fashionable for defenses to clog the middle of the ice. The modern goalie can handle most perimeter shots. Interior offense is what creates chaos, especially if it incorporates cross-ice passing.

Don't fall into Panthers' trap

The Panthers are an intimidating opponent because they apply endless pressure. If they have the puck, they're attacking with authority. If you have the puck, they're aggressively trying to pry it away. If there's a loose puck ...

A sensible way to combat this style of play is to own the wall. As I wrote last postseason, a disproportionate amount of NHL action is spent within a few feet of the boards. Assertive and efficient wall play defensively is often the main difference between a clean breakout and an ugly turnover.

The Leafs won the majority of puck battles Monday, including dozens close to or on the boards. Most notably, Max Pacioretty shielded the puck from a Panthers defender to set up the opening tally, and Mitch Marner finessed the puck out of Toronto's zone to spring Matthew Knies on a breakaway for the eventual game-winning goal. Watch Marner outduel Nate Schmidt on the wall:

The Panthers prefer a grinding slug fest, but those kinds of plays helped turn Game 1 into a track meet. That's the drawback of a smothering style: Opponents will expose you up the ice and make you run out of gas quickly if they can beat you in 50/50 battles and make smart decisions in transition. (Florida historically gives up a ton of breakaways.)

The Panthers are the 2024 Stanley Cup champions and 2023 finalists - they'll clap back in Game 2. The Leafs must show composure in two ways.

One, Craig Berube needs to trust his instincts: He opened up the possibility for a mismatch further down the lineup in Game 1 by playing his top forward line of Auston Matthews, Marner, and Knies against Florida's No. 1 group of Aleksander Barkov, Reinhart, and Carter Verhaeghe. William Nylander scored twice and added a primary assist at five-on-five. Ride that deployment again.

Two, the players can't look to settle the score for Bennett's elbow on Stolarz. Hit Bennett extra hard if you have him lined up for a legal hit, sure. But taking a penalty to get even isn't worth it in the playoffs. It's easier said than done against a team full of pests, but Toronto must stay disciplined.

There's a decent chance the referees overcompensate Wednesday and call a bunch of penalties. Let them. The Panthers will win the series if it becomes defined by post-whistle scrums and questionable hits. The Leafs win it if the action revolves around up-tempo hockey.

John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email ([email protected]).