SUNRISE, Fla. — Throughout the playoffs, the Florida Panthers have repeatedly relied on a successful strategy: establish a lead after two periods, and then depend on Sergei Bobrovsky and the defense to hold the line.
This approach delivered results once more. Sergei Bobrovsky made 23 saves, marking his fifth playoff shutout. Meanwhile, Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett found the net, leading the Panthers to a 2-0 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 4. The win leveled the Eastern Conference semifinal series.
The Panthers boast an impressive record, having won 25 straight playoff games when they lead after two periods—a streak that began on May 5, 2022.
“It’s a series,” Bobrovsky commented. “The bigger games are ahead, so we’re excited about them. The series comes down to a best-of-three, so it’s a big game, next one.”
The pattern of winning on home ice has persisted, and Toronto will be aiming to extend it in Game 5, set for Wednesday night. The Leafs claimed victories in Games 1 and 2 at home, subsequently losing Games 3 and 4 in Sunrise.
“We had looks,” Toronto coach Craig Berube observed. “They’re doing a good job of swarming us with numbers, obviously. … It’s a battle out there. This is what it is. They don’t give you a lot.”
Verhaeghe netted a power-play goal—Florida’s fourth of the game—during the first period. Bennett added an insurance goal with 7:50 remaining, and Bobrovsky secured the victory for his second shutout of the postseason.
Joseph Woll was impressive for the Maple Leafs, stopping 35 shots.
“He was great,” Berube remarked. “He played an excellent game.”
The score by Verhaeghe was set up by Matthew Tkachuk, who expertly threaded a pass through the slot and past two defenders. Verhaeghe capitalized, delivering a powerful one-timer past Woll.
This sequence was part of a dominant early performance for Florida, who took 21 of the first 26 shots on net. The Panthers maintained control for significant portions of play, continually challenging Woll, who stood firm throughout.
Bennett sealed the victory by maneuvering into the attacking zone from Woll’s left, with Verhaeghe as a passing option. When no clear path emerged, Bennett deftly approached the net, tricked Woll, and pushed the puck home, celebrating with a punch to the air.
“That was more like the type of Panthers playoff hockey that we’re used to,” Bennett explained.
In typical playoff fashion, tensions ran high towards the end. Oliver Ekman-Larsson — part of last year’s Stanley Cup-winning Florida squad — delivered a high hit on Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues early in the third period. Initially ruled a major penalty, it was reduced to a minor after review.
Rodrigues is set for further evaluation on Monday, Panthers coach Paul Maurice confirmed.
In the closing moments, four players were handed 10-minute misconducts: Toronto’s Max Domi for boarding Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, and Toronto’s Bobby McMann, alongside Florida’s Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand — on his 37th birthday.
“I think he’ll be all right,” Maurice said regarding Barkov.