Maple Leafs face elimination after OT loss to Panthers in Game 3

John Tavares stood in the middle of a sombre locker room trying to explain another loss where Toronto's stars — himself included — were unable to make a difference.

There wasn't any anger or defiance from a trio that hasn't been nearly good enough in the Maple Leafs' second-round playoff series.

Now they have no margin for error. And a steep, near-impossible climb.

Sam Reinhart scored at 3:02 of overtime Sunday as the Florida Panthers defeated visiting Toronto 3-2 to take a commanding 3-0 lead and push the Leafs to the brink of elimination.

WATCH | Reinhart lifts Panthers over Maple Leafs in OT:

Reinhart's overtime winner for Panthers puts Maple Leafs on brink of elimination

2 years ago

Duration 2:14

Florida takes a commanding 3-0 lead in their second-round playoff series against Toronto as Sam Reinhart scores 3:02 into overtime.

"Tight hockey game," Tavares said. "Got to find a way to capitalize a little more. They're defending very tight in and around their net. We just didn't come out on the right side of it and make the play needed to get us the result."

"It sucks," Marner added later. "But gotta forget about it quickly, be pissed off. Now it's do or die."

"I don't think we can get frustrated," Marner said. "Once you get frustrated, then things don't really go well."

"We've had some good chances and good stretches," Matthews said. "A couple posts, stuff's just not falling... just can't get discouraged."

'We've had a lot of guys stepping up at big moments'

The Panthers, who squeaked into the playoffs after winning last season's Presidents' Trophy, are now one victory from the Eastern Conference final.

Reinhart grabbed the puck behind the net on the winning sequence and wrapped it around on a surprised Joseph Woll for his fifth goal of the playoffs.

"We've had a lot of guys stepping up at big moments," said the Panthers centre. "We're all trying to execute the same game plan. We're just getting that much more confidence with it in tight situations."

Sergei Bobrovsky made 22 saves for the Panthers, who are up 3-0 in a series for the first time since 1996.

"Relishing the opportunity," Florida defenceman Aaron Ekblad, who added two assists, said of his group's mentality. "Live in the moment."

Erik Gustafsson and Sam Lafferty replied for Toronto, which would host a potential Game 5 on Friday.

"Today was the real pressure," Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said. "The next game, just go out and play. You gotta get a win. This game could have gone either way. Some missed opportunity for us here, just like Game 2 [was a] missed opportunity.

"Those things add up... but we'll come ready to play and look to get our one win and then you're back home to get another."

Woll replaces Samsonov due to injury

Woll stopped 18 shots after replacing Ilya Samsonov, who was injured in a collision with Leafs defenceman Luke Schenn in a case of friendly fire early in the second period. Samsonov made eight saves before being replaced by his rookie backup.

"Excellent," Tavares said of Woll. "Not surprising. His potential is sky-high."

WATCH | Samsonov exits game with injury after collision with Schenn:

Maple Leafs goalie Samsonov leaves Game 3 after collision with teammate Schenn

2 years ago

Duration 1:51

Toronto goalie Ilya Samsonov leaves the game with an injury after a collision with teammate Luke Schenn early in the second period.

Toronto fell to 3-1 on the road in the playoffs — all in OT — and have lost three in a row for the first time since late October following a tough night against the stingy Panthers.

Only four teams have come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a seven-game series in NHL history — the Leafs (1942), New York Islanders (1975), Philadelphia Flyers (2010) and the Los Angeles Kings (2014).

Up 1-0 after Sunday's first period, Samsonov was hurt 37 seconds into the second when Schenn bowled into his netminder trying to thwart a Florida scoring chance. The Russian stayed down and was looked at by Toronto's trainer before exiting.

Woll, who played the third period of Game 1 against Tampa, came off the bench in relief with Schenn in the penalty box for tripping.

"It's still a hockey game," Woll said. "My process doesn't change regardless of Stanley Cup Final or an exhibition game."

WATCH | What fans say the Leafs need to win:

Can 'mind control' help the Leafs finally win the cup?

2 years ago

Duration 6:37

The Toronto Maple Leafs are in the second round of the playoffs for the first time in nearly 20 years, but what will it take to finally win? CBC's Nick Purdon picks up some off-ice advice from Leafs fanatics who are eager to help the team hoist the Stanley Cup.

Toronto nearly killed off Florida's power play, but Duclair scored his second of the post-season on a nice deke to tie things at 2:36.

But the Panthers, twice victorious in Toronto thanks in large part to Bobrovsky's stellar play and now on a franchise-record playoff winning streak that sits at six games, knotted the score again at 12:28 when Verhaeghe tipped in his fourth.

Woll made a big stop on Anton Lundell with under seven minutes left in regulation to keep the Leafs' hopes alive before a huge save on Sam Bennett to force the extra period.

"He was great," Keefe said of his goaltender. "He's ready for this."

Leafs open scoring quickly

Toronto opened the scoring on a 2-on-1 at 2:26 of the first when Lafferty one-timed a David Kampf pass after Matthews hit the post less than 20 seconds into the game before the Panthers pushed back — and pushed Toronto to the precipice of another off-season of tough questions following last weekend's emotional playoff breakthrough.

"Gotta start with one (win) and give yourself a chance," Keefe said. "They're in full control.

"It's on us now to make it uncomfortable for them and not go away."