Auston Matthews looking for redemption against Panthers’ Sergei Bobrovsky

If the Toronto Maple Leafs stand any chance to take down the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, their best players will need to be their best players. It starts and finishes with captain Auston Matthews, who will need to figure out a way to solve Panthers’ netminder Sergei Bobrovsky.

Back in 2023, the Panthers had Matthews’ number in the playoffs, and it was one of the main factors the Leafs were eliminated in five games. Aleksander Barkov, Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart, Gustav Forsling, and Bobrovsky led the way against Toronto’s best goal scorer, and the collective effort will be something Matthews will have to overcome starting Monday night at Scotiabank Arena.

The Panthers smothered Matthews in their second-round series two years ago, and Bobrovsky stood tall throughout each of the five games. The only game the Leafs won, Mitch Marner and William Nylander scored, and while it’s going to take a collective effort to beat the champs, something Toronto has managed so far these playoffs, Matthews has to produce better results this time around.

Generating 26 shots and no goals, it was a tough time for Matthews, especially with the Leafs losing three one-goal games. This season he’ll need to take a step forward, to help lead the Leafs past the defending champs. There’s no doubt about it, Matthews solving Bobrovsky will be a huge factor in this series. The good news: the captain’s support system has improved, and this is a different team he’s leading than two years ago.

Matthew Knies’ development will have a huge influence on Matthews’ production. The Maple Leafs’ best power forward has a chance to be the x-factor in this series, using his big frame to get in front of Bobrovsky’s eyes, allowing for Matthews, and his elite shot to do the rest. Another big factor in Matthews production could be the power play. The Leafs have shown a great sense of urgency this postseason, getting shots on net early and often, and had tremendous success against the Ottawa Senators, capitalizing on 35.3 percent of their man advantages. The Panthers were the most undisciplined team in the league during the regular season and if emotions get high, especially with Brad Marchand in the mix this time around, it could work into the Maple Leafs’ favour. It will be a battle within the battle though, as the Panthers did a great job of shutting down the Tampa Bay Lightning’s power play in the first round, allowing just two goals on 18 chances.

Barkov, Bennett, Marchand, Reinhart, among others will try to limit Matthews and the top line for the Maple Leafs. While it’s going a full team effort to be able to take a giant step forward against Florida, Toronto stands no chance at being competitive in this series if Matthews doesn’t find the back of the net. The Leafs’ captain had his entire tool box on display against the Senators throughout their six games, something head coach Craig Berube praised, stating Matthews led the way for the Leafs with his all-around effort.

Throughout his career against the Panthers in the regular season, Matthews has had some success, collecting 15 goals in 29 games. But, this isn’t regular season hockey, the stakes are as high as they’ve ever been, and he’ll need to learn from his experience in 2023, and find a way to break through.

Matthews has a stronger supporting cast this time around, especially with Knies and his net-front presence. Look for these two to work off each other, and disrupt Bobrovsky in tight, and now we wait and see if the results change this time around.