‘I Don’t Think We Gave Them Much Reason To Stick Around’: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs React To Boos, Fans Leaving During Game 5 Blowout

By the time the Florida Panthers scored their sixth goal midway through the third period on Wednesday night, Scotiabank Arena had become a sea of empty seats. However, fans began the booing and heading for the exits late in the second period when Florida made it 4-0.

The fans who remained made their displeasure known, showering the Toronto Maple Leafs, the home team, with boos as multiple blue and white jerseys hit the ice. It was a humiliating night for the Leafs and one that has them pushed to the brink of elimination.

“I don’t think we gave them much reason to stick around,” said captain Auston Matthews following the 6-1 loss to the Panthers in Game 5. “Everybody’s got to look in the mirror, myself included.”

“Yeah, I mean, 6-1 in the playoffs or 6-0 in a playoff game, I understand them (the fans),” added forward William Nylander. “We could have played better. That’s it.”

It was a Game 5 no-show, and Toronto paid the price. The Leafs were outskated, outworked, and overwhelmed from the opening puck drop. 

Florida out-attempted them 33-12 in the first period alone and, luckily, only carried a 1-0 lead into the second intermission. Then came the avalanche with three Panthers goals in under eight minutes during the middle frame, turning a one-goal game into a blowout with the Leafs not knowing what hit them. 

As a result, Florida would cruise to a 6-1 win, their third straight victory in the series, putting Toronto in a 3-2 hole heading into Game 6 on the road.

“First period, they outskated us, really. They had the puck and won the races. Like, we just played slow. They were fast, they were on us, they were hungrier,” said head coach Craig Berube post-game. “That’s the first period. And that sets the tone for the game… We all got to be better, myself included.”

Joseph Woll did his best to hold down the fort early but was eventually pulled in the third after surrendering five goals. Matt Murray entered in relief, though by then, the damage had already been done in his first postseason appearance in 1,743 days. The Leafs’ sloppiness and turnovers allowed the Panthers to pounce.

So when members of the Leafs hear the boos, what’s going through their heads?

“Play better,” said veteran defenseman Chris Tanev. “I’ll take responsibility. I need to be better.”

“It is what it is. I’m not focused on that. You focus on the team and what you can do out there. Like I said, it wasn’t good enough from our standpoint. That’s what happens,” added Mitch Marner.

‘What Are They Going To Do?’: Maple Leafs Dismiss Panthers’ Retaliation Threat After Emotional Game 4 FinishToronto Maple Leafs forward Max Domi was not in the mood to discuss the $5,000 fine he received from the NHL for his hit on Florida Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov at the end of his club’s 2-0 loss to the Florida Panthers at the end of Game 4. 

We’ve seen jerseys thrown onto the ice before, but it’s more of a rare sight in a Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and one that underscored the frustration of a fan base that had watched its team go from up 2-0 in the series to the verge of a second-round exit in under a week. What should’ve been a rowdy home-ice atmosphere instead turned into a quiet, half-empty building by the midway point of the final frame.

It was a letdown.

“I don’t think anyone’s happy about it. Time to reset, refocus, and be ready… You realize that it wasn’t close to good enough. You flush it down the toilet,” said Marner.

The Leafs head back to Sunrise for Game 6 on Friday, needing a win to keep their season alive. If they can extend the series, they’ll return to Scotiabank Arena for a winner-take-all Game 7 on Sunday and a chance to redeem themselves in front of their home crowd.

“We’ve been a great road team all season long. There’s always going to be a belief in this group and the confidence in this group from what we built off throughout the year,” Matthews explained. “So we’ve got to go into this game with confidence, and it’s going to be our best game of the year.”

Stay updated with the most interesting Maple Leafs stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

Read the full article here