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Panthers' Brad Marchand Impressed as Maple Leafs Take 2-0 Series Lead Over Defending Champs

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matt Levine | Last updated May 7, 2025 11:17 PM ET

The Florida Panthers entered their second-round postseason series against the Toronto Maple Leafs ready to do some damage. However, two games into the series, Florida finds itself down 0-2.

The series will be shifting over to Florida for Games 3 and 4, giving the Panthers a chance to fight back. But it seems that this version of the Maple Leafs could be on a different level than in previous years.

Panthers star Brad Marchand commented on the Maple Leafs following the Game 2 loss.

"They came ready to play this round. We see that," he said.

The Maple Leafs have fallen short in the postseason multiple times in recent memory, sparking concern from many ahead of this series. Marchand has seen Toronto in the postseason a few times during his tenure with the Boston Bruins.

The veteran knows this team well, but his assessment of them surely raises some eyebrows. This Toronto team feels a little different from others in the past, and they have shown it on the ice.

However, the Panthers are the defending champions for a reason, so they likely won't go down quietly. Toronto just defended home ice, and they will need to put together an even better game plan on the road.

With the Panthers down 0-2, it's likely that Florida will come out with a sense of desperation in Game 3. If the Maple Leafs can withstand that, they could be in good shape.

But if not, they run the risk of allowing this experienced Panthers team back into the series.

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

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