The Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers squared off in Game 4 last night and things didn’t go as planned. After spending almost half of the first period in the penalty box, the Panthers’ power play was able to find the back of the net and give their club a 1-0 lead. That 1-0 lead stood for almost the entire game, until Sam Bennett scored late in the third period to give them a 2-0 lead. The Maple Leafs had no answer, even with the extra man at the end of the game, and lost Game 4, 2-0 and now the series is tied 2-2.
Now the series shifts back to Toronto and both teams will have an extra day to rest and recover before Game 5 on Wednesday, May 14th. However, before we worry about Game 5, let’s put a bow on Game 4 with some takeaways from last night’s game.
Domi Faces Suspension for Late Hit
In the dying seconds of the third period, Max Domi had his Nazem Kadri moment and hit Aleksander Barkov from behind into the boards. A scrum followed and things got out of hand, including Brad Marchand dropping his gloves, which could result in a suspension as per Rule 46.12 and 46.22 in the NHL rulebook. Domi was given a five-minute major and the expectation is that the NHL and the Department of Player Safety will take a look. If it does result in a suspension, he’ll likely be done for the rest of the series (3 games).
Max Domi, Toronto Maple Leafs (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
Many members of Leafs Nation understood what he was trying to do. He was setting the tone for Game 5 and getting in an extra hit. But his hit came when Barkov was in a vulnerable position, and that will more than likely result in him missing games.
Lineup Changes Needed for Game 5
I’ve been saying this for the last few games, and I’ll say it again—the Maple Leafs need to make a few lineup changes. They have players out there essentially just doing cardio and nothing more. Both Bobby McMann and Pontus Holmberg have had no real impact on this series. After the showing they had last night, it’s time to put in someone else. The Maple Leafs have Nicholas Robertson, David Kampf, and even Ryan Reaves who could come into the lineup and add some spark. That’s what it looks like they need. They’ve looked flat at times over the last two games and changing up the roster would help with that. Kampf would fit well on the last line with Scott Laughton and Steven Lorentz. That also frees up Calle Jarnkrok to either come out of the lineup or move up to the third line.
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Robertson just needs to be in these games. They need someone who can score depth goals, and he’s the best candidate for it. He could even take a turn on the second line alongside John Tavares and William Nylander. Lastly, Reaves—it’s unlikely—but with how much the Panthers are taking runs at the Maple Leafs’ players, he could help quiet things down and keep people in line. It’s been a number of games since any changes were made, and it makes sense—the lineup has played fairly well—but now it’s time to make a few moves and try to get some more jump into the group.
Woll Was Outstanding
Unfortunately, the Maple Leafs wasted an outstanding effort from Joseph Woll last night. He played so well and kept his club in the game for three periods. Sadly, the offense couldn’t get anything going and they ended up losing. It had all the makings of Toronto scoring late and stealing a win in overtime on the back of Woll. But that didn’t happen, and now they head back home with the series tied 2-2.
Joseph Woll, Toronto Maple Leafs (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
Woll faced 37 shots from the Panthers and saved 35 of them for a .946 save percentage (SV%). There was a graphic floating around social media showing his SV% in earlier games being around the .875 mark and how he needed to be better. Well, he was, but, the team in front of him let him down and wasted a great effort.
Matthews Needs a Goal, Badly
Throughout the Maple Leafs’ playoff run, I’ve been pretty vocal about how well the top players on the team have played. They’ve been showing up both on the scoresheet and on the defensive side of the puck, and it’s helped the team win games. But after Game 4 of this series, it’s safe to say Auston Matthews needs a goal, badly. He’s trying—there’s no doubt about that. He leads all players in missed shots in the playoffs with 22+ missed shots. But he needs something to go in to snap out of this and get back to being a threat.
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So far, through 10 games in the playoffs, he has two goals and eight assists for 10 points. It’s nice to see the 10 points, but it would be even better if he had somewhere in the five-to-seven goal range. It’s clear he isn’t 100%, and he’s still giving his all—especially on the defensive side. But if he can just get one and get his confidence back, he’ll become a threat every time he’s on the ice. If you look at the Maple Leafs’ power play, it’s clear something’s bothering him—he’s not going to the net like he used to. He’d be parked in front for the tip play or using his quick hands in tight. Now, he’s at the half-wall and dishing it off constantly. Nylander and Mitch Marner are the ones firing the puck on the power play. If Matthews was healthy, this playoff run might feel different. But he’s not, and he’s playing through it. All he needs is one to go in, and he could go on a run.
