William Nylander has become the most dangerous postseason goal scorer for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and he’s done so right at the perfect time.
The Maple Leafs hold a 2-0 series lead over the Florida Panthers after a 4–3 win in Game 2, thanks in part to Nylander’s continued surge.
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Nylander scored in each of the first two games of the second-round series—two times in Game 1 and once in Game 2—and now has five goals in his last three contests, getting back to Game 6 of the first-round series against the Ottawa Senators.
That streak makes him the first Maple Leafs player since Alexander Mogilny in 2003 to score five goals across a three-game playoff span.
“Nothing gets to him,” Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said. “He doesn’t feel pressure. And I could be wrong, but this is what I see.
“There’s no too big a stage for this guy. He thrives on this stuff, in my opinion, and he looks forward to it, and he wants to be in all those critical situations.”
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Nylander has six goals and 13 points in the playoffs, both leading all Maple Leafs players. Only Matthew Knies (4) has scored than three goals through the first eight postseason games played by Toronto.
“He has great, great skill with his hands,” Berube said. “He has unreal hands and the ability on his skates, just cutbacks and all that, it’s a high-end player, he really is.”
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Bobby McMann (74) congratulates forward William Nylander (88) after scoring a goal.John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Nylander, meanwhile, acknowledged the challenge of playing against the reigning champion Panthers.
“It’s tough to play Florida,” Nylander said. “I mean, they are a great team. That next game is going to be a huge battle.
”They play an aggressive game and they’re really good at it. I think we’ve gotten some bounces that have gone our way. That’s what happens sometimes.”
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Game 3 of the series between the Maple Leafs and the Panthers is scheduled for Friday, May 9, at 7 p.m. ET as the second-round matchup shifts to Florida.
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