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Maple Leafs take 2-0 series lead vs. defending champs

Max Pacioretty and Max Domi each had a goal and an assist for the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 4-3 win against the Florida Panthers on Wednesday.

Mitch Marner and William Nylander also scored, Morgan Rielly had two assists and Joseph Woll made 25 saves for the Maple Leafs, who lead the best-of-seven Eastern Conference second-round series 2-0.

Game 3 will be Friday in Sunrise, Florida.

Anton Lundell had a goal and an assist, Aleksander Barkov and Brad Marchand also scored and Eetu Luostarinen had two assists for the Panthers. Sergei Bobrovsky made 16 saves.

Trailing 3-2 after two periods, the Panthers pulled even on Lundell’s goal at 5:33 of the third. Aaron Ekblad sent a pass from the right wall down low to Lundell on the back door, and he snapped it past Woll.

Marner responded 17 seconds later to put Toronto ahead 4-3. Jake McCabe’s left point shot bounced off the opposite side end boards down the wall to Marner, who fired a quick wrister that went over Bobrovsky’s right arm.

Barkov needed five seconds into a power play to give Florida a 1-0 lead at 10:58 of the first period. He won the draw back to Seth Jones, who held it briefly before giving it back to him in the left circle, and Barkov wired it under Woll’s glove.

Pacioretty tied it 1-1 on the power play at 18:19 when he tipped Rielly’s point shot into the top corner.

Marchand put the Panthers back in front just 15 seconds into the second. Lundell left a short drop pass in the left circle for Marchand, who took it to the net and roofed a backhand over Woll’s glove.

Nylander tied it 2-2 at 4:18. Pacioretty got to a loose puck in the neutral zone and carried it down the right side before dishing it through the slot to Nylander, whoo backhanded it past Bobrovsky’s glove side.

Domi put Toronto in front for the first time off the rush at 17:09. Rielly sent a centering pass to Steven Lorentz, who took it down the right hashmark before sending it over to Domi, who quickly put it into an open side of the net from the left circle to make it 3-2.

Embellishment call raises eyebrows

Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues was hit into the boards by Toronto’s Scott Laughton in the second period. Laughton wasn’t penalized for the hit. Rodrigues was.

The on-ice officials gave Rodrigues a minor penalty for embellishment. He wasn’t able to serve it because he had to go to the dressing room.

Laughton did get receive a double minor for roughing against Rodrigues and Nate Schmidt during an ensuing scrum. Rodrigues returned later in the second period.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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