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Paul Maurice Claps Back at Leafs Fans' Criticism Ahead of Game 2

Originally posted on Blade of Steel | By Tom Banks | Last updated May 7, 2025 3:35 PM ET

There's been plenty of noise around the Maple Leafs vs. Panthers second round matchup, and now Paul Maurice has responded to that criticism.

After just one game, the rivalry between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers has reached fever pitch, with both teams battling for their place in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2025.

After Sam Bennett played a role in Anthony Stolarz' injury in Game One, the past 48 hours have been absolute chaos in Toronto, and with the Maple Leafs holding a one game lead, their fans will be out in force to push for a 2-0 lead early in this series.

That fan support for Toronto and the criticism for Florida was something that Head Coach Paul Maurice was asked about, and unsurprisingly, the veteran coach wasn't phased in the slightest, offering this response to the question:

Are they bringing their skates?

While the noise around this series has been loud, Maurice clearly isn't bothered at all, and given the experience that this core group has built up over back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals runs, they won't be too intimidated by the noise at ScotiaBank Arena.

If they can pull out a Game 2 win, then the series shifts back to Florida with the Panthers having the chance to pull away on home ice, but Maurice will have his team focused in on this one before they think too far ahead.

For Toronto, they'll turn to Joseph Woll after the incidents in Game One, and with potential payback on the Maple Leafs mind, this game could get ugly, and with so much intensity and fire in this rivalry, it's exactly what makes the Stanley Cup Playoffs so great.

This article first appeared on Blade of Steel and was syndicated with permission.

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