PAUL MAURICE, Panthers Playoff Postgame: Toronto Maple Leafs Coming to Florida Up 2-0

Well, Paul, obviously your team’s seen it all and done it all in the playoffs the last couple years. How much is that experience going to help as you head home now uh down 02? Well, I think you have to understand your game. We love our game one, but we liked our game here tonight. So, come out on the road, we lost two onegoal games and get to go back home. Now, Paul, did you get any explanation on the Rodriguez embellishment penalty? I’m not sure I’ve seen that call when a guy goes to the room. No, I didn’t. Paul, oddman rushes, got got the better of you guys a couple times. Just what did you see defensively on a few of those lapses and just how you clean up? I thought we were late in the first game on some of those, but we had control of the puck on both of them off that transition. That’s where you’d like to be able to hang on to it a little bit more perhaps. How would you assess Sergey’s performance in this series so far? Um, didn’t love his first game. I thought up until the fourth one he was I don’t look at him for any of the the first three and we’ve got a haven’t given up a tremendous a lot tonight but the danger on the rush is is significant. So goalie’s going to be fine. Paul, how much do you lean on the experience of your veteran guys who’ve been through these types of situations now time and again over the last couple years? Well, you have to know your game. We talk about that an awful lot. There be lots of stuff that we like about our game that we think we can improve on and do more with. So, we’ll take a look at it and get better. Might be some people look at an O2 hole and say, “Well, a lot of hockey the last two years, but you had a break for the playoffs. Had a break between rounds.” Yeah. Well, that we haven’t used that. Uh I don’t know what today was seventh game in about 3 weeks. Like, it’s half the schedule that we like to have. It’s not It’s half the schedule that we’re used to playing coming into the playoffs. So, um, that’s not an issue for us. Oh, just the continued strides from the third line. Marian Londelo Gangle, just how much have they been able to help keep you guys in these games so far? Well, I don’t really view them as a third line based on their production. They’ve been good since they’ve been together and um and and I think they’re still getting better. They’re still growing. So, there’s lots we can do with that line playing as well as it is. Paul Samos starts in the fourth, gets bumped up to the second. Did you see a different player from when he went out to when he came back in? Do you did you see the strides you were looking for? Yeah, you know what? He did what we needed him to do. He brought in some speed after Rodriguez’s embellishment. They had to move him down to the fourth. Um, so Samo did, man. It was a great chance, great save. That’s what you’re looking for. I thought he had some good speed in his game. Um, so that’s a real positive for him. I don’t know who is 100% this time of year, but what are you seeing in Matthew Kachchuck’s game right now? I thought he was good tonight. Like he was generating like this was the best game for me that he’s played.

Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice speaks to the media after his team lost Game 2 to the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 in their second-round playoff series on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.

The Panthers lost 5-4 to the Maple Leafs in Game 1 and are 0-2 in this series coming back to Sunrise.

Florida has never won a series down 0-2 and have not been in this position since the 2023 Stanley Cup Final.

Game 3 is at Florida on Friday at 7 p.m. (TNT)

How Brad Marchand Joined the Florida Panthers: https://floridahockeynow.com/brad-marchand-joins-florida-panthers-how-it-happened-nhl-trade-bruins/

2024 Stanley Cup Champions Honored at the White House: https://floridahockeynow.com/stanley-cup-champion-florida-panthers-honored-at-white-house/

Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning Bringing Hockey Outdoors – In Florida: https://floridahockeynow.com/nhl-outdoor-hockey-miami-tampa-florida-panthers-lightning/

The Florida Panthers Get Their Rings. They’re Spectacular: https://floridahockeynow.com/florida-panthers-get-stanley-cup-championship-rings-theyre-spectacular/

The Florida Panthers Are Stanley Cup Champions: https://floridahockeynow.com/can-you-believe-it-florida-panthers-are-stanley-cup-champs/

Wednesday, Sasha Barkov gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead midway through the first. Florida led 2-1 early in the second after Brad Marchand tied it.

Anton Lundell made it a 3-3 game in the third — only Mitch Marner scored 17 seconds later for the 4-3 lead and the final score. Sergei Bobrovsky made 16 saves in the loss.

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Video Courtesy Florida Panthers / Panthers Vision

38 comments

  7. Why don’t we just punch their new goalie in the head too? If we can concuss him out of the series, there’s no way their 3rd stringer is any good…..what do u guys think….more brain damage ?

  8. Berube is out coaching Maurice. And the leafs are outclassing the panthers…big game 3 coming up, if the panthers can’t find a way in that game they will get swept.

  10. There was one clown (prior to game 1) who was so convinced Fla would win, he claimed to have dropped 4K on them, despite claiming he was a "die hard Leaf fan". I wonder if he's having any 2nd thoughts at this point, as I don't think things are going the way he figured they would.

  13. Oh come on smile. The leaf's had the same schedule and you knocked there goalie out by a cheap shot. Karma Sucks…They Should be called the Florida Kittens…

  20. Florida's trying SO hard to play dirty and cheat their way through to the next round. 🤣AIN'T HAPPENING!

    Woll's a WALL!! Better team won! Anyone else smell a SWEEP!?

    GO LEAFS GO!!! 💙🤍

  22. Maurice it's ok to tell us the truth we seen it for ourselves Chunky was absolutely horrible. 2 of the goals were because he turned over the puck on bad passing from him.

  26. still a 50/50 series even tho it’s 2-0 right now. Leafs surprisingly handling the storm quite well so far. Had a ton of bounces go their way as well. Playoff hockey.

  29. Paul Maurice regardless of this outcome your a good coach ,, the players respect you and that’s huge, I don’t care if you can’t beat the leafs this year , you are a brilliant coach and I respect you ,,

  32. I gotta disagree with coach about Chucky.. Matthew Tkachuk making horrific passes to the middle of the ice. Not helpful at all.
    Can the Panthers at least maintain a tie game score?

  33. At least Bennet had the decency to take himself out of the game tonight as contrition for his hit on Stolarz last game. I appreciate the sportsmanship.

  35. A couple 1 goal games where our goalie hasn’t been himself and the insufferable Leafs fans and media already have dozens of narratives and explanations out of it. Just take the 2-0 lead with abit of class and dignity. Like a pimple faced, scrawny rich virgin who plays the victim, who finally made it to 2nd base and somehow now are cocky and arrogant about it. It’s cringeworthy.

  38. We are still the champions until we aren't, so I still believe in this Panthers team and their ability to dig out of deep holes. Not sure if the Panthers win this series now but we aren't going down without a fight.

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