Apr 8, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling (42) celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the first period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/a8993b14-2818-449f-902b-8eb460eae391.jpeg] Apr 8, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling (42) celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the first period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images) The Florida Panthers snapped their season-long five-game winning streak on Tursday night in Sunrise. Hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida earned a playoff-like 3-1 victory while closing the gap at the top of the Atlantic Division. Florida picked up the game’s opening goal right off an offensive zone draw. Anton Lundell pulled the puck back to Gus Forsling at the point, who took a few strides toward the net before firing a wrist shot that went off the glove of Joseph Woll, off the post and into the back of the net, giving Florida a 1-0 lead at the 9:26 mark. Early in the second, moments after Mitch Marner rung a shot off the goal post behind Sergei Bobrovsky, John Tavares went bar-down to tie the game at one just 64 seconds into the period. That’s how the score would remain until exactly 20 minutes of game time later. At the 1:04 mark of the third period, Eetu Luostarinen finished a play that started with another Lundell offensive zone draw win, giving the Panthers a 2-1 lead to try and clamp down on. After the puck made its way around the boards in Toronto’s zone, Lundell forced a turnover behind the net and Luostarinen was in the right place at the right time, poking the puck behind Woll to give Florida their second lead of the night. Carter Verhaeghe added an empty-net goal at the 19:11 mark to cement the victory for the Cats. On to Detroit. QUICK THOUGHTS Forsling has scored two goals in three games and logged six points over his past 10 outings. Lundell has points in back-to-back games and two goals and two assists over his past eight games. Luostarinen’s goal was his first since Feb. 22 against Seattle, a span of 19 games. Verhaeghe has points in consecutive games for the first time since early February. The goal was his first since March 8 against Buffalo. Marchand picked up his second point as a member of the Panthers with an assist on Verhaeghe’s goal. LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA Key divisional matchup unfolds in Florida between Panthers, Maple Leafs [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/game-day/key-divisional-matchup-unfolds-in-florida-between-panthers-maple-leafs] 'We're just healing them': As Stanley Cup Playoffs near, Panthers could continue holding players out [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/were-just-healing-them-as-stanley-cup-playoffs-near-panthers-could-continue-holding-players-out] Three takeaways: Panthers making best of injuries, Puljujarvi has strong debut [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/three-takeaways-panthers-making-best-of-injuries-puljujarvi-has-strong-debut] Panthers drop fifth straight, ending road trip with 2-1 loss in Detroit [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/game-day/panthers-drop-fourth-straight-ending-road-trip-with-2-1-loss-in-detroit] Three takeaways: Panthers doing more right than wrong, making progress despite losses [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/florida-panthers/latest-news/three-takeaways-panthers-doing-more-right-than-wrong-making-progress-despite-losses]
