Toronto Maple Leafs beat Florida Panthers 4-3

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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Toronto Maple Leafs beat Florida Panthers 4-3. Here is the summary of the game played on Wednesday, March 28, 2018

GAME SUMMARY         |           EVENT SUMMARY        |           FACEOFF SUMMARY

ON THE SCORESHEET

Mitch Marner opened the scoring for the Maple Leafs at 3:05 of the first period and later recorded the lone assist on Patrick Marleau’s first period goal. Marner has assists (10) in nine consecutive games and points (4-9-13) in 10 consecutive games. Toronto is 15-1-1 when Marner has multiple points in a game this season.

Auston Matthews scored Toronto’s second goal of the night at 9:24 of the first period. With the goal, Matthews became the third player in franchise history to begin his career with consecutive 30 goal seasons as a Maple Leaf (Previous: Wendel Clark – 1985-86, 1986-87; Daniel Marois – 1988-89, 1989-90), per NHL PR. Matthews is tied for fifth in the NHL in even-strength goals (28).

Patrick Marleau scored the third Maple Leafs goal of the game at 13:55 of the first period. Marleau’s goal is the 533rd goal of his NHL career, which ties Frank Mahovlich for 33rd on the NHL’s all-time goal-scoring register. Marleau ranks third on the Maple Leafs in even-strength goals (21).

James van Riemsdyk scored the fourth Toronto goal of the night at 11:48 of the third period. The goal is van Riemsdyk’s 200th career NHL goal. The Maple Leafs are 20-7-3 when van Riemsdyk scores this season.

Morgan Rielly recorded the primary assist on Marner’s first period goal. Rielly has five assists over his last four games. He now has 22 even-strength assists this season, which is a new career-high (Previous: 21, 2015-16). He is tied for eighth among NHL defencemen in assists (43).

Tomas Plekanec had the secondary assist on Marner’s first period goal. Plekanec’s assist is his first point as a Maple Leaf.

William Nylander registered the primary assist on Matthews’ first period goal. Nylander has three points (2 goals, 1 assist) over his last four games. Of Nylander’s 38 assists, 25 have been primary assists.

Jake Gardiner picked up the secondary assist on Matthews’ first period goal. Gardiner has assists (2) in two consecutive games. He has 15 assists in 26 games against Atlantic Division opponents.

Tyler Bozak recorded the primary assist on van Riemsdyk’s third period goal. Bozak has five assists over his last five games. Twenty of his 31 assists this season have been primary assists.

Connor Brown had the secondary assist on van Riemsdyk’s third period goal. Brown has three points (1 goal, 2 assists) over his last four games. He has 11 points (2 goals, 9 assists) in 11 career games against the Panthers.

Frederik Andersen made 30 saves in the win. With the victory, Andersen ties the Maple Leafs record for home wins in a season by a goaltender with 22 (Previous: Turk Broda, 1947-48; Harry Lumley, 1953-54; Curtis Joseph, 1999-00; Ed Belfour, 2002-03)

SHOTS FIRED

The Maple Leafs had a 35-33 lead in shots on goal in all situations and a 32-28 edge in shots on goal at 5-on-5.

Florida had a 74-66 lead in shot attempts in all situations and a 62-60 lead in shot attempts at 5-on-5.

James van Riemsdyk recorded a team-high six shots on goal.

Patrick Marleau recorded a team-high eight shot attempts.

SHOTS ON GOAL

SHOT ATTEMPTS

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

Tonight’s win is the Maple Leafs’ 46th win of the season, which establishes a new single-season record for wins in a season (Previous: 45; 1999-00, 2001-02, 2003-04)

The Maple Leafs are 27-9-2 at home his season. Tonight’s victory is Toronto’s 27th win on home ice, which establishes a new franchise record for home wins. (Previous: 26, 2005-07)

Toronto’s all-time record is 41-32-7-4 in 84 games against the Panthers and 23-15-2-1 in games played in Toronto.

Toronto is 27-16-5 against the Eastern Conference this season and 15-8-3 against the Atlantic Division.

Tonight’s attendance is 18,893.

The Maple Leafs visit Brooklyn on Friday when they head to Barclays Center to take on the New York Islanders at 7:00 p.m.

MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS

RECORD WHEN…

The Maple Leafs were 3-for-3 on the penalty kill and 0-for-1 on the power play tonight. Toronto is 30-12-5 when not allowing a power play goal this season and 21-14-5 when not scoring a power play goal.

Toronto is 37-6-3 when their scoring the first goal of the game.

The Maple Leafs are 29-4-1 when leading after one period and 30-3-2 when leading after two periods.

Toronto has a 14-11-4 record when outshooting their opponent.

The Maple Leafs are 11-3-1 in Wednesday games.

OF NOTE…

Tyler Bozak won 75 percent (3 won, 1 lost) of his defensive zone faceoffs tonight.

Tyler Bozak (25 for, 9 against – 73.5%) and Connor Brown (25 for, 10 against – 71.4%) were each on the ice for a team-high 25 Toronto shot attempts-for at 5-on-5.

Kasperi Kapanen and Tomas Plekanec were the lone Maple Leafs to not start a 5-on-5 shift in the offensive zone.

UPCOMING GAMES:

Friday, March 30 at New York Islanders, 7:00 p.m. (TSN4, TSN 1050)

Saturday, March 31 vs. Winnipeg Jets, 7:00 p.m. (Hockey Night in Canada, TSN 1050)

Monday, April 2 vs. Buffalo Sabres, 7:00 p.m. (TSN4, TSN 1050)

Thursday, April 5 at New Jersey Devils, 7:00 p.m. (TSN4, FAN 590)

Saturday, April 7 vs. Montreal Canadiens, 7:00 p.m. (Hockey Night in Canada, TSN 1050)

POSTGAME QUOTES:

HEAD COACH MIKE BABCOCK

On tonight’s win:

Obviously, I thought we had a great, great start. Being ready to play was important, we knew they’re a desperate, desperate team. We knew they were 20-6 coming in here, so they were playing well. We thought we could jump on them early and get going and we did. Luongo was unbelievable in the first 10 minutes. He was phenomenal. We gave up that first goal and we turned it over badly for the second one. Then I thought we tightened up and I thought they really got going. We weren’t as good as we should have been down the stretch or as poised, but I think the more opportunities you have to go through it, it’s just going to be like the playoffs. The playoffs are going to be like that, you’re going to be up one or down one and you’ve got to find a way to win the game. It was a good win for our team. Freddie [Andersen] made some timely saves, especially on the penalty kill save, but good win for our team.

On setting franchise records for wins and home wins tonight:

It’s nice to get, obviously. It’s one of those things – those things are all nice to get. I think James [van Riemsdyk] got his 200th [NHL goal] or something like that tonight and his 35th goal. I think those things are all great, but we’ve got bigger plans. We’re just moving along and trying to get better. I think this is a good win, it gives you confidence. I thought Marner was a star tonight, really set the tone and came out and skated good. It’s a good win for our team.

On Marner’s two-way play:

He worked. He worked, that’s why he had the puck all the time, he was solid defensively. That’s what the young guys have got to figure out. If they play good defensively, they’re going to get more chances than you can ever imagine versus trying to be cute and then you don’t get near as many chances and you give up too much. That’s just part of growing up in the game and understanding how the game works.

PATRICK MARLEAU (1 GOAL)

On the pass from Mitch Marner that set up his goal:

Obviously, he displays that each and every night. The way he can move out there and hangs on the puck and sees the ice is something special. I was just able to get open there backdoor and he made a great play.

On Marner’s confidence level:

I think it’s pretty high. He’s obviously skating hard, working hard. I think the work he’s doing to get the pucks back on the forecheck and even on the backcheck is leading to those points that he’s getting offensively.

MITCH MARNER (1 GOAL, 1 ASSIST)

On his first period goal:

Pretty lucky bounce off the end wall there, but I just kind of saw it there and decided I should take one of them and lucky enough to have it.

On if his confidence level is at an all-time high:

It’s been fun, I think our team has been rolling and that’s the big thing. I think our team has grown in confidence and that’s important going forward here. I think this team is feeling confident so everyone in this room is feeling confident.

On his nine-game assist streak:

Trying to find open guys, I think Pat and Naz have obviously played with me for a little bit so they kind of know what I want to do on most plays so they’re doing a great job just kind of reading off what I’m doing and lucky enough it’s getting to them.

On the build up to his goal:

That was another great play off [Morgan Rielly]. He had the confidence there and held on to the puck, didn’t throw it away. I just tried to read off what he was doing, kind of came over top and he made a great play.

JAMES van RIEMSDYK (1 GOAL)

On hitting the 200-goal milestone tonight:

Yeah, it’s cool. I think it just kind of feels like time flies by. It seems like just yesterday I was getting drafted and that sort of stuff. To hit something like that is pretty cool, but hopefully I’ve got a lot more in me.

On his goal and if he was calling for the puck from Bozak or if it was instinct:

I think it was a little bit of both. He knows the areas I like to go to and I try and find those spots where I think he can get it to me so I think we have that chemistry and we’re able to connect on plays like that. 

On how many of his 200 goals were scored in tight:

Probably 50 percent at least, maybe more so it would be a cool stat to see.

On his work on shooting close to the net:

There’s lots of stuff that you try to work on and get better at. Obviously, that’s a spot right in front of the net where a lot of goals are scored. If you can have some success there, it makes you pretty valuable.