Carter Verhaeghe scored in a second straight game and the Florida Panthers started the second round of the playoffs well on Tuesday, beating the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2.
Hero of the ultimate game in Boston, Verhaeghe this time broke the 2-2 deadlock at 17:47 in the second period.
After grabbing a pass from Anthony Duclair, he spun alone and scored his fourth goal since the start of the playoffs.
“It had the effect of anchoring us a bit, a big goal like that at the end of the period,” said Verhaeghe, a 27-year-old Torontonian. It gave us a good breath of fresh air. »
Nick Cousins, Sam Bennett and Brandon Montour signed the other Panthers nets.
Matthew Tkachuk had three assists and Sergei Bobrovsky made 34 saves.
“Sergei was amazing. He’s so consistent, Bennett said. It’s nice to see that. He was really up to it. »
Florida shattered a 2-0 lead before coming away with the win.
The club didn’t seem too tired after a long streak against the Bruins.
“I would say we were good,” said coach Paul Maurice. I wouldn’t say we were excellent. »
The reply came from Michael Bunting and Matthew Knies, scorer of his first NHL goal.
Ilya Samsonov blocked 24 shots for the Leafs, which are in the second round for the first time since 2004.
The series will continue Thursday in Toronto, before we head to Sunrise.
Montour made it 4-2 midway through the third period as officials prepared to award a penalty to the Ontario club.
Bobrovsky frustrated William Nylander on the butt of the pad with a minute left in the third period.
Cousins made it 1-0 midway through the first period, after his side had passed two penalties in the first seven minutes of the match. Overall, the Maple Leafs were 0 for 3 with the man advantage.
“The guys were focused,” Bobrovsky said. They blocked a lot of shots and they handled their sticks well. »
Leafs captain John Tavares and his wife recently welcomed their third child, a daughter named Rae.