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Maple Leafs Fan's Behavior During Game 5 Will Catch Auston Matthews' Attention

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated May 15, 2025 8:10 AM ET

The Scotiabank Arena crowd turned hostile Wednesday night as the Toronto Maple Leafs fell 6-1 to the Florida Panthers in Game 5 of their second-round series.

The loss marked Toronto’s third straight defeat after taking a 2-0 series lead as the Maple Leafs now face a challenging 3-2 deficit and a must-win Game 6 on the road.

With the Panthers leading 5-0 midway through the third period, a fan threw an Auston Matthews jersey onto the ice.

That followed a second period filled with boos, Bronx cheers, and an early exodus from the stands as fans responded to another lopsided postseason failure.

An Auston Matthews jersey was just thrown on the ice at Scotiabank Arena. pic.twitter.com/lLP1pfpRFl
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) May 15, 2025

"Boos emerge in the second period," The Athletic's Joshua Kloke reported live. "Bronx cheers follow when Joseph Woll makes an easy save. Things are going from bad to ugly quick here at Scotiabank Arena."

Toronto’s stars were held scoreless, with Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and John Tavares combining for zero points. Joseph Woll, meanwhile, allowed five goals on 25 shots before being pulled early.

The Leafs now trail the series, have not reached the Eastern Conference Finals since 2002, and have not won the Stanley Cup since 1967.

Florida, meanwhile, is one win away from making its third consecutive appearance in the Eastern Conference finals after winning the Stanley Cup last season and reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2023.

Toronto head coach Craig Berube began the third period with his fourth line, a clear message to his top forwards, including Matthews, who extended his streak to 10 consecutive second-round games without a goal.

"I don’t think we gave them much reason to stick around," Matthews said about the fans booing the team off the ice and those leaving early. "Everybody’s got to look in the mirror, myself included."

Game 6 is Friday night in Sunrise, Florida, as Toronto must win to keep their season alive and force Game 7 back in Canada.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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