FORT LAUDERDALE – Just like that, we’ve got ourselves a tied series.
Behind a stellar performance from Sergei Bobrovsky and a defensive masterclass, the Florida Panthers secured a 2-0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday night at Amerant Bank Arena to even the series 2-2 in the Eastern Conference Second Round.
Stopping all 23 shots he faced, Bobrovsky earned his fifth career playoff shutout and second in this year’s postseason.
“The guys were outstanding,” said Bobrovsky after the win. “They’ve worked hard all series. Tonight was the game where everything came together; the guys worked hard, blocked shots and had good bounces our way. It’s a series, we enjoy tonight since it’s a big win for us and we get ready for the next.”
Holding a one-goal lead midway through the third period, Sam Bennett gave the Panthers some insurance after deking out Toronto netminder Joseph Woll before patiently burring the puck in the back of the net.
Sam Bennett makes it 2-0 in the third period against Toronto in Game 4.
With each team getting the job done at home, the series now becomes a best-of-three with a chance to advance to the Eastern Conference Final.
“There’s no secret,” said head coach Paul Maurice during his media availability on Monday at Baptist Health IcePlex. “There’s no momentum. It’s a grind, shift after shift.”
Looking to make it three in a row, and take their first series lead, the Panthers will head to Toronto for a 7 p.m. ET tilt on Wednesday night.
RODRIGUES UPDATE
The Panthers will have to wait for more information on Evan Rodrigues, who left the game early in the third period on Sunday on a hit from Oliver Ekman-Larsson in the neutral zone.
Initially ruled a five-minute penalty, it was reduced to two minutes for interference after a review.
Rodrigues to the room after this hit from OEL.
Penalty was a 5 then reduced to a 2 after a review. pic.twitter.com/UBhd0JFF4i
“He’s not ruled out, but not cleared to play,” said Maurice Monday. “He’s still being looked at.”
A Swiss Army knife for the Panthers, Rodrigues has recorded 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 33 games over the past two postseasons.
PLAYOFF CARTER
They don’t call him Mr. Clutch or Swaggy for nothing.
Through nine games, Carter Verhaeghe has tallied eight points (four goals, four assists), 36 hits, and drawn a team-high five penalties while 5-on-5.
On Sunday, No. 23’s power-play goal in the first period would end up being the eventual game winner.
Carter Verhaeghe makes it 1-0 on the power play in the first period against Toronto in Game 4.
“Through nine games, Carter has been our most consistent forward,” Maurice said of Verhaeghe. “Playoff hockey is hockey he understands. It resonates with him. It’s played at an incredibly high pace. It’s very physical. That’s where he is at his best. Everything kind of falls in line for him.”
Per NHL Stats, Verhaeghe joined Corey Perry, Alex Ovechkin and Patrick Kane for the fifth-most game-winning goals among active players with 11.
DOMI FINED
Max Domi will be in the lineup for the Maple Leafs in Game 5.
He’ll also have a little less money in his bank account.
On Monday, the Department of Player Safety announced that Domi has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for boarding Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov with just a few seconds left on the clock at the end of Game 4.
“I’ve got no thoughts today,” Maurice said when asked to comment on the decision. “It’s not my job. Other people do that job.”
Lucky to escape unscathed, Barkov was sent into the boards head-first on a surprise hit from behind from Domi, a play that typically receives harsher punishments from the NHL.
“Obviously he’s trying to take a run at Barky at the end there,” Bennett said. “The boys did a good job jumping in and sticking up for Barky. It’s been a physical series, so I expect more of that.”
While every fanbase likes to claim the other team is receiving preferential treatment, the numbers show that’s certainly not the case for the defending Stanley Cup champions.
In Round 2, the Maple Leafs currently have a 15-14 edge in power plays.
Overall, the Panthers have also lost two man games due to suspensions in this year’s playoffs between Rounds 1 and 2, while their opponents have combined for just one.
Moving on, the Panthers are just focused on getting the win in Game 5.
BIG GAME BOB
Just another day being Bobrovsky.
Going into brick-wall mode in Game 4, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner was outstanding for the Panthers when they needed him most, stopping every shot he faced in the 2-0 win.
While the volume of shots wasn’t particularly high, the quality certainly was.
Of his 23 saves, seven were considered high danger by NaturalStatTrick.com.
Looking back at the game, a point-blank glove save on Auston Matthews in the first period and a robbery on Matthew Knies in the third period are just two of his saves that stood out.
In addition to earning the fifth playoff shutout of his career, Bobrovsky is the first goalie to post multiple shutouts in back-to-back playoffs since Cam Talbot (2020-21 & 2019-20).
“It’s a series,” Bobrovsky said. “The bigger games are ahead, so we’re excited about them. The series comes down to a best-of-three, so it’s a big game, next one.”
FOURTH IS FILTHY
It was another big game from Florida’s new-look fourth line.
After netting the go-ahead goal in Game 3, the trio of Tomas Nosek, Jonah Gadjovich and A.J. Greer was once again a force to be reckoned with against the Maple Leafs in Game 4.
Despite seeing limited minutes due to the abundance of special teams, the fourth line finished with a crazy 96.47% share of expected goals in roughly three minutes of ice time.
Over that time, the Maple Leafs had no shots on goal and just two shot attempts.
Bringing their usual brand of physicality and intensity to the forecheck throughout the game, Nosek, Gadjovich and Greer also combined for six hits and three shots on goal.
“It’s probably the same thing you want from all your lines, but you’re looking for predictability when they go on the ice,” Maruice said. “They have a cohesion of a style of game and positioning running their routes. I’ll say it again, it’s not they’ve kind of come on here. They had an incredible month at the end of the season with all those injuries.”
*Jameson Olive contributed to this article
