The Florida Panthers are looking for a chance to jump in front of the Toronto Maple Leafs for the first time in this series, in game 5 of the Stanley Cup playoffs

Much ink will be spilled about the Leafs' performance, but don't discount the defending Stanley Cup champions.

Former Panther Oliver Ekman-Larsson delivered a high hit on Florida forward Evan Rodrigues in the third period of Game 4, and Rodrigues did not return. Rodrigues suffered an undisclosed injury that sidelined him for Game 5 on Wednesday, Florida coach Paul Maurice said.

Sometimes it goes off the rails, too, like at the end Saturday, when Toronto’s Max Domi sent Panthers star Aleksander Barkov head-first into the boards. The Panthers already had Evan Rodrigues put into the boards and lost for the game on an illegal hit.

A win by the Panthers in Game 5 would take all of the wind out of the Maple Leafs’ sails. A second win in the second round secured the furthest this current superstar core has e

The swing game in the series is on Wednesday in Toronto. Panthers head coach Paul Maurice spoke after practice on Tuesday. Maurice said he expects the series to be even more intense than it has been so far.

Florida Panthers minority owner Doug Cifu was suspended “indefinitely” Monday night by the NHL for “unacceptable and inappropriate” comments on his social media account, the league said in a