3 key takeaways from Leafs' shutout loss to Panthers in Game 4

The Toronto Maple Leafs were on the wrong end of a 2-0 blanking in Sunday night’s Game 4 loss to the Florida Panthers. With the loss, the Leafs have surrendered their 2-0 series lead, now turning their second-round series into a best-of-three.

The Leafs had the poorest offensive showing in the series, mustering just 23 shots, with 11 of those coming in the third period. While the Leafs were one shot away from tying the game all night, the game could have been an embarrassing blowout loss if had not been for the stellar performance from Joseph Woll.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the three key takeaways from the Toronto Maple Leafs Game 4 loss to the Florida Panthers on Sunday night.

3 key takeaways from Toronto Maple Leafs Game 4 shutout loss to Florida Panthers

Non-existent fourth line

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ fourth line of Max Domi, Pontus Holmberg, and Bobby McMann was non-existent in Game 4. While Domi was the protagonist of a thunderous hit on Panthers’ captain Sasha Barkov in the final seconds of the game, he wasn’t nearly as effective as the Leafs would like.

McMann showed his physical side at times, getting a brief look on the top line as Matthew Kniews momentarily left the game to get repairs on one of his skates. Beyond that, McMann has not rekindled his regular season magic.

Then, there’s Holmber. His ice time dwindled to 8:36 in Game 4, calling into question why he hasn’t been scratched in place of Nick Robertson.

The fact is that the Leafs will need to overhaul their fourth line much like the Panthers did ahead of Game 3. It might be time to see Robertson get a look in place of Holmberg as something needs to change for Game 5.

McCabe got burned twice

Jake McCabe was unfortunately burned on both Florida goals. While he’s been as steady as they come, his slow reaction times opened the door for the Panthers to score.

Here’s a look at Carter Verhaeghe’s power play goal:

McCabe was slow to get across, allowing Verhaeghe to bury the puck home. But it was McCabe’s defensive lapse on Sam Bennett’s goal that broke Toronto’s back:

The miscommunication between Chris Tanev and McCabe gave Bennett all the time and space he needed to bet Joseph Woll for the 2-0 goal.

Of course, both of those miscues would not have been such a huge deal had the Leafs actually scored in the game.

Penalty trouble

The Toronto Maple Leafs had racked up just 20 penalty minutes in the first three games of the series. However, the Leafs accrued in Game 4, including six power play opportunities for the Panthers.

Overall, the Leafs came out relatively unscathed, giving up just the one power play goal. However, one can’t help but wonder just how much that penalty trouble influences the Leafs’ inability to get into a groove offensively.

Following the game, Craig Berube acknowledged this situation, making it clear that the Leafs need to stay out of the box moving forward.

With the series now tied at two, the Leafs cannot afford another lackluster effort in Game 5. The Leafs will need to push to take Game 5 at home and set themselves up for a potential series-clinching Game 6 back in Florida.