Sunrise, Fla. – The last of the night’s Ricochet became Brad Merchand’s goal. It also became the biggest score of Florida’s season.
Martin scored on a deflection shot at 15:27 in overtime as he defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-4 on Friday night, reducing his deficit to 2-1 in the Eastern Conference Semi-Final Series.
“We just competed in ways that we knew we could,” said Marchand.
Merchand’s shot hit Toronto’s Morgan Rierry and sailed to goalkeeper Joseph Wal. Hitting the opposite player on the way to the net was one of each team’s two goals.
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Alexander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhege and Jonah Gadjovic scored for Florida, making 27 saves from Sergei Bobrovsky. Evan Rodriguez had two assists for the Panthers. The Panthers are 13-2 in their last 15 playoff overtime games.
John Tavares scored twice, with Matthew Nice and Lierry also holding Maple Leafs goals. Woll stopped 31 shots.
“Overtime, we had the opportunity,” said Maple Leafs manager Craig Berbe. “It’s a bouncing off. That’s what happens in overtime, often.”
Game 4 is sunrise on Sunday night.
Florida has eliminated 2-0 and 3-1 deficits, which is unusual for Toronto this season.
The Maple Leaf were 30-3-0 when leading after the first period, including the playoffs, the second-best record in the league.
With their first score, the league’s third-best record, they were 38-8-2.
They only played 11 leads throughout the season, but not in the playoffs.
They were 44-3-1 in the game leading with two or more goals.
However, Merchand never lost the series to Toronto – 4-0 since his Boston days, and his goal gave the Panthers hope.
“It’s a second of the game,” said Marchand, after his fourth overtime playoff goal, he was the seventhest tied in NHL history. “It could be anyone… the details to make those plays come true are where the work is going to take place.”
The Maple Leafs scored two defensive goals in the off-panthers defensive man. Tavares’ second goal came past Bobrovski for a 3-1 lead, redirecting Seth Jones’ leg to tie him in third place at 9:04 left.
“You just need to control what you can control,” Bobrovsky said.
Diving Barkov threw the pack into the net, looking at Kalom from the Toronto stick and putting Florida on the board. Merchand was the last and biggest of them.
3-1, Florida needed a break. It’s here.
Reinhart was named Goal after thinking Woll had hidden the puck following the scrum in front of the net. However, after review, it was determined that the pack had crossed the line. Florida has life, the building is noisy again, and after about a minute, Verhaeghe tied it up with three.
Gadjovic went 4-3 in the second half of the second.
