TORONTO — Gustav Forling scored the game-winner in the second period as the Florida Panthers rallied from two goals down to defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on Thursday, taking a commanding 2-0 lead in their second-round series.
Toronto opened the scoring two minutes and twenty seconds into the contest as Alexander Kerfoot tucked the puck into the net on a rebound, then Ryan O’Reilly added to the lead on the power play just under three minutes later. After a dominant opening 10 minutes for the Maple Leafs, the Panthers swung the game back in their favor.
Anton Lundell got the Panthers on the board after Timothy Liljegren lost a crucial puck battle and the Maple Leafs took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission.
Florida attacked Toronto from the outset of the second frame and captain Aleksander Barkov tied the game 19 seconds into the middle period. William Nylander fell down and lost the puck, Panthers forward Anthony Duclair swooped in and found Barkov, who wired a wrist shot past Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov.
Forsling scored the game-winner 47 seconds after Barkov’s goal. Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews lost the puck in his own end, and after a give-and-go sequence, Matthew Tkachuk found a wide-open Forsling at the side of the net, who made no mistake for the 3-2 goal.
Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky was incredible in the win, stopping 35 shots and numerous Grade A scoring chances.
Game 3 is scheduled for Sunday in Florida.
More to come.