The Keys to the Toronto Maple Leafs Beating the Florida Panthers
2. Ilya Samsonov stays sharp
The Toronto Maple Leafs got shelled in Game 1 of the opening round.
Ilya Samsonov gave up six goals and needed to be pulled in favor of Joseph Woll. It may have been a bad game, but he more than redeemed himself.
Once Samsonov returned to the crease in Game 2, he wasn’t about to give it up again.
He was outstanding from then until the Buds eliminated the Lightning.
Overall he’s registered a goals-against average of 3.14 and a .900 save percentage.
He’s made 171 stops on the 190 shots he’s faced. If we take Game 1 out of the equation, then Samsonov looks much stronger.
He saw 161 shots through the other five games he played and let in 13 goals. That means, over that span, he had a save percentage of .919 and a goals-against average of 2.60.
Samsonov needs to just continue to play his game. He hasn’t wandered far from his net and has let the plays come to him. It’s been working. If he continues his level of play, he’s sure to frustrate the Panthers.
3. Leafs stay disciplined and out of the penalty box
Powerplays are game changers.
The Panthers have players who can fill the back of the net in a hurry. Giving them extra space on special teams is not a luxury the Leafs can give up.
With players like Matthew Tkachuk, who has recorded five goals and six assists in his seven games of the playoffs, the Panthers cannot be taken lightly.
Even someone like Carter Verhaeghe, who the Leafs know well because he slipped through their fingers, needs to be watched closely. He scored over 40 goals this season.
Sheldon Keefe must preach disciplined hockey to his players.
It would also behoove the coach to take a few minutes and have a one-on-one with Toronto’s leading penalty minute leader, Michael Bunting.
He collected 15 minutes of penalties in just the two games he played. Though, to be fair, most of those occurred on a single play he isn’t likely to repeat.
It’s okay and even encouraged to play physical, but it’s important to recognize where to draw the line for the sake of the team’s success.
4. Get traffic in front of Sergei Bobrovsky
With the Florida’s goalie Spencer Knight receiving care from NHL/NHLPA player assistance program, it means the crease belongs to Sergei Bobrovsky. He was between the pipes for five of the Panthers games against the Bruins.
In the first round, Bobrovsky faced 156 shots and allowed 17 goals. His goals-against average was 3.94, and his save percentage was .891. Bobrovsky will be backed up by Alex Lyon who saw time in three of the first round games. He had a goals-against average of 3.26 and a save percentage of .902.
Bobrovsky will have a tough task in Round 2 but the Maple Leafs need to make it even more difficult. They need to do their best to stand in the goaltender’s way. Getting traffic in front of the net allows the opportunity for tip-in goals. It will also be a lot harder for Bobrovsky to make a save if he can’t see the shot.
5. Get out to early lead and keep it
The Toronto Maple Leafs had to battle back from behind far too much in the opening round. While it’s easy to say and more difficult to execute, the team needs to aim to be the first to put points on the board. The game will get a lot easier if they aren’t chasing their opponent.
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All the action gets underway starting Tuesday in Toronto. Game 1 will be played at Scotiabank Arena at 7 pm.