Bennett Shines with Two Power-Play Goals as Panthers Edge Maple Leafs
What a game in Toronto! The Florida Panthers pulled off a solid 3-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs in a battle that had all the intensity of a playoff matchup. And leading the charge for Florida? None other than Sam Bennett, who delivered two clutch power-play goals to help secure the win.
Right from the get-go, this game had all the makings of a thriller. The Leafs struck first, with John Tavares finding the back of the net just two minutes into the game. William Nylander set him up beautifully from the left circle, and Tavares made no mistake, giving Toronto an early lead. But the Panthers weren’t about to let that stand. Late in the first period, Bennett capitalized on a rebound right in front of the net, jamming it home to tie things up at 1-1.
The second period saw Florida take control. Niko Mikkola, who hadn’t scored since December 18, found an opening and fired one past Anthony Stolarz to put the Panthers ahead 2-1. And then came the dagger—Bennett struck again on the power play, this time off a slick pass from Sam Reinhart behind the net. With that, Florida extended their lead to 3-1, and it was starting to look like they had this one in the bag.
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But the Leafs weren’t going down without a fight. Max Domi gave Toronto hope with a goal early in the third period, blasting a shot past Sergei Bobrovsky from the slot to cut the deficit to 3-2. From that point on, it was a grind. The Leafs pushed hard, but Bobrovsky, as he’s done so many times before, stood tall. He turned away 23 shots in total, earning his 424th career win and passing the legendary Tony Esposito for 10th place on the NHL’s all-time wins list.
Florida’s defense locked things down in the final minutes, allowing just five shots after Domi’s goal. The Panthers kept their composure, stayed disciplined, and ultimately walked away with a huge victory. With this win, they now hold a four-point lead over Toronto in the Atlantic Division standings, adding even more fuel to what could be a playoff showdown down the road.
After the game, Bennett summed it up best: “That was a playoff-like game.” And he’s absolutely right. Both teams played with intensity, but special teams proved to be the difference. Florida made the most of their power plays, while Toronto couldn’t capitalize on theirs.
For the Leafs, this marks a rough stretch, as they’ve now dropped four of their last five games. But with two more regular-season meetings against the Panthers, they’ll have their chances to respond.
If this game was any indication, hockey fans are in for a treat if these two teams meet in the postseason. Stay tuned—there’s plenty more drama to come!
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