海角社区官网

The glass half-full might suggest 海角社区官网can鈥檛 hold on to an edge in the third period. But the fact is they鈥檝e nearly always surmounted a pushback by the opposition in the crunch. And they鈥檝e been doing it all year:聽19 one-goal wins in the regular season versus eight losses, four times in the post-season, plus popping a pair in five late minutes to eliminate the Senators.

That kind of nerviness has long been absent from this team and is arguably the most crucial element added under the tutorship of coach Craig Berube. They don鈥檛 get the willies under stress. And that鈥檚 become a strong factor in their success, up 2-0 against the defending Stanley Cup champions.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just about being comfortable in those games,鈥� said Morgan Rielly. 鈥淲e talked about it all year. If we had it our way, we鈥檇 be up by a couple every night and not have to worry about it. But over the course of the season when you鈥檙e in those close games you become more comfortable and you have a better understanding for playing within structure and doing what you need to do down the stretch.鈥�

The Panthers have a similar fortitude but 海角社区官网has out-played Florida at their own game in several categories. Which is why the endlessly nettlesome Brad Marchand observed post-game on Wednesday, with a tone of some disbelief: 鈥淭hey came to play in this round and we see that.鈥�

Rielly, he of the three goals in these playdowns, continued: 鈥淲e鈥檙e playing against a team that鈥檚 also very comfortable in that situation. I would expect the games to be close and competitive moving forward. Obviously you鈥檙e happy to be up in the third but it鈥檚 nerve-wracking and challenging. It鈥檚 been a good test for our group that we鈥檝e been able to stick together and execute.鈥�

Patience, preaches Berube. But patience can dissolve under clock pressure. So it鈥檚 a credit to the Leafs that they haven鈥檛 lost their minds, hair on fire, with time ticking down. That arises from confidence, faith in one another to pull out those goals in the short hairs, goals that rip the opponent鈥檚 guts out, forces them chase the game under duress, which leads to mistakes, turnovers and breakaways. And the Leafs trust in their goaltending to make the clutch saves in tick-tick-tick chaotic episodes, as Joseph Woll did Wednesday and Anthony Stolarz before him.

(Stolarz, recovering from a double whammy to the brainpan in Game 1, did not accompany his teammates to Sunrise, Fla., on Thursday. It鈥檚 unclear when he鈥檒l be fit to suit up again.)

The Panthers scarcely know what鈥檚 befallen them.

Two-time Vezina winner Sergei Bobrovsky has been battered by muscular net presence. But the Leafs have also scored on the fly 鈥� two goals in Game 2 off the rush.

It all starts with the north-south game that Berube has imposed since his arrival. Few wide-out sorties on the offensive surge anymore. An aggressive forecheck that puts the Panthers back on their heels, as 海角社区官网forwards streak in or cut through behind them.

Marchand again: 鈥淭heir biggest threat is they鈥檝e been very good on the rush. You鈥檝e got to be above them. It seemed like every time we gave them the opportunity to get above us, they created something or they capitalized on it. It just shows how dangerous they are.鈥�

How dangerous? Nine goals on 50 shots through two.

Of course, it might all go pear-shaped for the next couple of tilts at Amerant Bank Arena, where the Panthers posted a 27-12-2 record this season. The Leafs are a darn good road team, however 鈥� 25-13-3 and beat Ottawa twice in their in their building in the opening round. While nobody should underestimate Florida,聽they鈥檙e 0-5 all time in a best-of-seven series when falling behind 2-0.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e going to try to feed off the energy that building is going to bring,鈥� warns Steve Lorentz. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e not just going to roll over.鈥�

The ex-Panther knows whereof he speaks. He鈥檚 been offering insight to his teammates, particularly in thwarting Florida鈥檚 intense forecheck, and not to be seduced into a defensive mentality with the lead on late stages.

鈥淲e can鈥檛 sit back. We don鈥檛 want to play passive in the O-zone and kind of cheat to make sure we鈥檙e back in our own zone on defence. We鈥檝e been doing it all year. Play hard down in the corners, have a responsible third forward and if they transition 鈥� which they do well 鈥� we鈥檒l have guys back to鈥rack hard.

鈥淚t鈥檚 no secret. We鈥檝e been doing a good job of it this series and limiting their chances off the rush. This is a team that doesn鈥檛 give you a whole lot and you鈥檝e got to take advantage of the areas when they lapse. We did a good job forcing them to get out of position, with speed off the puck, taking pucks to the net.

For all their physical prowess, the Panthers have been worn out by counter-pressure on Toronto鈥檚 forecheck. They鈥檝e worn themselves out.

鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 always happen on the first shift,鈥� said Lorentz. 鈥淚t takes time to wear them out, get to know where they鈥檙e pinching.

鈥淵ou play a chess game after that.鈥�

Not one a grandmaster would recognize, though.