“NHL Playoffs: Florida continues dominating streak, defeats Toronto 3-2 in OT”

Florida has already taken a 3-0 lead.

NHL. Playoffs. Second round. Third match
“Florida” — “Toronto” — 3:2 OT (0:1, 2:1, 0:0, 1:0)
Goals: Lafferty – 1 (Kampf, Reilly), 2:26 – 0:1. Duclair – 2 (bol., Ekblad), 22:36 – 1:1. Gustafsson – 1 (Nylander, McCabe), 27:32 – 1:2. Verhege – 4 (Gudas, Mahura), 32:28 – 2:2. Rinehart – 5 (Lundell, Ekblad), 63:02 – 3:2.
Goalkeepers: Bobrovsky – Samsonov (Wall, 20:37).
Penalty: 0 — 4.
Throws: 29 (7+14+7+1) — 24 (4+9+11+0).
Our: — .
May 8 Toronto. Scotiabank Arena. 19911 spectators
Series score: 3-0

The least expected from Toronto was an unprincipled and cowardly game in a situation where almost everything was at stake. Stopping Florida, which has caught the courage, with a score of 0-3 in the series, this will pull on the plot from a fantastic work. After they managed to fill up the powerful Tampa in the first round, the Maple Leafs lost their inspiration and mood. The team’s general manager Kyle Dubas at the end of the second game, while in the press box, threw a water bottle in a rage. During the third match, he would need at least a box – Toronto looked so bad for most of the meeting.

The guests managed only the very beginning, when Florida boldly rushed forward and opened up too freely. They opened the scoring with their very first throw – Lafferty completed the two-on-one exit with no chance for Bobrovsky.

Waiting and enduring with such a strong squad like Toronto’s is a little strange. But if at the same time dangerous counterattacks succeed, then you can live. Both Russian goalkeepers performed well and who knows how the game would have turned out if not for the dramatic episode at the beginning of the second period.

Samsonov was put out of action by his own defender Shenn, who crashed into him at high speed. The goalkeeper lay on the ice for a long time and then went to the locker room. He was very sorry. He spends the first truly decent season in his career. There are complaints about playing in the playoffs, but before his injury, the goalkeeper looked very reliable in the match.

Instead of Samsonov, his replacement Wall, who has modest experience in the NHL, entered the court. Schenn in the previous moment broke the rules on Florida striker Verhague and the hosts equalized in this majority. Forward Dyukler used the error of the defenders, who slightly opened a corridor for him in the center of his zone, and realized the exit “one to zero”!

Toronto still showed signs of life and resisted. Defender Gustafsson joined the attack in a timely manner and, not without some luck, brought his team forward. It remains only to wonder at what moment the dear leaders of the Maple Leafs put on invisibility caps – neither Matthews, nor Tavares, nor Marner were remembered for anything significant in the attack. Of the “big four” attack, only Nylander was visible.

Florida tweaked the settings and began to play more responsibly than in the first period, and once she was very lucky. Verhage tried to take a position on someone else’s patch to block Wall’s view, and by a lucky chance became the author of the goal.

Toronto rarely flared up after that, barely reaching overtime thanks to the excellent game of goalkeeper Wall, who in one episode did not allow Bennett to score a masterpiece goal. But then the guests swam again. In overtime, they fought back nervously, several times convulsively threw the puck into someone else’s zone – and were punished with icing. Neither the energy, nor the character, nor the quality of the game, “Toronto” was not enough. Forward Rinehart made a tricky U-turn outside the goal, unexpectedly taxied to the spot and deceived Wall. Florida took the lead in the series 3-0 and there is no desire to bet a single ruble on such a dull Toronto. So far, things are looking very bad for him.