William Nylander leads Maple Leafs to victory over Panthers in Game 1

In Toronto, on May 5, 2025, the Maple Leafs faced the Florida Panthers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series. The Maple Leafs started strong with William Nylander scoring twice in the first period, marking his fourth goal of the playoffs. Toronto built a commanding 5-3 lead before narrowly securing the victory 5-4, following a late-game surge from the Panthers who scored their last goal with just under two minutes remaining in regulation. With this win, Toronto took an early lead in the best-of-seven series against the defending champions, the Panthers. The matchup saw strong performances from players on both teams. Alongside Nylander's goals, other Maple Leafs contributors included Matthew Knies and Chris Tanev, who each scored once and recorded an assist. The game started with excitement as Nylander rapidly scored 33 seconds into the clash, showcasing the Leafs' determination. Despite the Panthers' efforts to stay in the game, including a power-play goal by Seth Jones and later goals by Eetu Luostarinen and Uvis Balinskis, they struggled to keep pace with the offensive output of Toronto. In the second period, the game became tense as the Panthers pushed for another goal to tie the game. They ultimately fell short despite significant efforts that included two power-play opportunities that could have changed the momentum. Anthony Stolarz was forced to leave the game due to an injury, which left Joseph Woll in net, who managed to stop 17 shots in relief, ultimately preserving the lead for Toronto. The series will continue, and historical play indicates that the Maple Leafs, having won the first two games of a series, hold a significant advantage, showcasing their capability to proceed deeper into the playoffs as they seek to end a long-standing championship drought. The Panthers, now facing an uphill battle, will look to their home-ice advantage in the upcoming games to try and level the series before it potentially slips further from their grasp. Overall, the opening game was a stark reminder of the competitive nature of playoff hockey, where early advantages can lead to greater outcomes in the long run.