The Toronto Maple Leafs surprised a lot of people by taking Game 1 of their second-round series against the defending Stanley Cup-champion Florida Panthers.
While it wasn’t easy in the end, they still got one more goal than their opponent.
The Panthers are rightly known as one of the best teams in the NHL right now, and they have been for several seasons. Florida plays playoff-style hockey, and the additions of Brad Marchand and Seth Jones before the trade deadline made them one to watch yet again.
So what do you do if you’re facing one of the most physically intimidating teams in the league? Well, you play to your strengths, not theirs.
That’s what William Nylander did for the Maple Leafs in Game 1, and the result was a two-goal, three-point effort – all in the first period – that gave Toronto enough of a boost to hang on for a 5-4 win, even after star goalie Anthony Stolarz left the game with a suspected concussion.
Nylander’s first tally came in the first minute of action, sneaking a shot through Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and initiating a long night for the Panthers netminder.
“It was outstanding,” said Toronto defenseman Morgan Rielly. “He was feelin’ it, and that obviously helps set the tone. It’s nice to get the first one, and you just go from there.”
Nylander has been a standout for the Leafs all season, and part of the reason is his confidence with the puck. Not only did he set a career best with 45 goals this season, but that was his third straight campaign with at least 40 tallies. He now has five goals and 12 points through the first seven playoff games, too.
But it’s more than just goal-scoring. Nylander excels at carrying the puck up the ice, and contrary to many of his peers, he hangs on to it for offensive zone entries, rather than dumping it in. Because he’s so elusive, the result is more offensive zone time and the chance for his teammates to catch up and get set up for scoring chances.
In Game 1, the Panthers looked slow, and whether that was a fluke or a result of their punishing first-round series against Tampa Bay, it certainly played into Nylander’s hands.
Toronto also avoided getting sucked into playing Panthers-style hockey – the Leafs stuck with speed and skill, allowing Florida to take more penalties (though the Leafs’ power play didn’t cash in). Typically, the only way to win a mud fight is not to participate, and Toronto largely stayed above the fray.
Now it’s Florida that needs to figure out how to beat Toronto in this series, rather than the other way around. Stopping Nylander will be key – but with the way he’s played so far this season, it won’t be easy.
“First shift for him, a huge goal, and he gets the crowd right into it,” said Toronto blueliner Chris Tanev. “It set the tone for how we wanted to play. We have to continue to build on that.”
Get the
latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by
subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below
the article on THN.com.
Read the full article here
