Knee Jerk Reaction: Maple Leafs use rapid response to take 2-0 series lead vs. Panthers

There was a dark cloud over the Leafs’ net coming out of Game 1 with the Anthony Stolarz injury, but Joseph Woll proved once again that he’s capable of showing up when the lights are bright. He excelled in the second round against the Panthers two years ago and he excelled in a small sample size against the Boston Bruins last season. Tonight, with a full day to prepare for a start and a full game to play, he tightened up when the team needed him to and stood tall for the victory.

We are witnessing an unforeseen version of this Leafs team that hasn’t been there in the Matthews era. They don’t get rattled when a bad bounce goes against them, in fact, they seem to take it as motivation to get it right back. It was hard to imagine at the time that the Leafs’ playoff woes were a coaching change away from being solved, and they still aren’t until they get out of the second round. But to show up the way they did and take both games at home against a star-studded, physical Panthers team is unlike anything this franchise has iced in the postseason.

It seems like, for the first time in a long time, this team knows how good they are and what they’re capable of doing in the playoffs. That kind of confidence goes a long way, and if they keep getting production from all areas of the game, they have all the ability to take this series from the Panthers and make their long-awaited return to the Conference Final.