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The most important thing that occurred for the Toronto Maple Leafs in their 5-2 loss to the Florida Panthers on Tuesday was that they came out of a highly physical, emotional contest against the team that eliminated them from the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season physically unscathed. The Leafs played an excellent first period, leading 2-0 after goals by John Tavares and Noah Gregor, but were outhustled and outworked in the remaining 40 minutes by a Panthers club who entered the game with a chance to win the Atlantic Division.
Toronto was outshot 29-4 in the second period and allowed four goals to seal their fate.
“(The Panthers) scored early in the second period, on the first shift. The momentum shifted there, and the energy changes in the game.” Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said after the game. “We just took too many penalties. It took away from what I thought was a pretty good hockey game for us.”
Auston Matthews had five shots on goal, but did not notch landmark goal #70, which forces Keefe to put the NHL First Star of the Week in the lineup for an otherwise meaningless game #82 against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena on Wednesday. After starting Joseph Woll against the Panthers, Toronto will give third-stringer Martin Jones his first start since late February.
Keefe indicated that the same forward lines that played on Tuesday will dress against the Lightning, but that defensemen Morgan Rielly, Jake McCabe, and Joel Edmundson will get the night off. Forwards Max Domi, Calle Jarnkrok and Bobby McMann, who were scratched due to injury on Tuesday could all be ready to play Game 1 on Saturday.
The loss to Florida coupled with the Ottawa Senators 3-1 victory in Boston results in the Panthers beating out the Bruins for the division title by one point. Florida will take on Tampa Bay in the Battle of the Sunshine State, while the Leafs will open the playoffs at TD Garden on Saturday night.
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
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