Jake McCabe did everything possible to get the puck away from their net when it rolled into the Toronto Maple Leafs' crease with just over five-and-a-half minutes left in the third period.
He swatted at the puck and then used his hand to alleviate any opportunity the Florida Panthers would've had to come back in the game. A few minutes earlier, before Florida's third goal of the game, Chris Tanev did something similar.
The puck bounced just outside the crease as Carter Verhaeghe salivated at the mouth to get a stick on it. Tanev, however, got a stick on it first, clearing it out of harm's way to allow Toronto to hold onto their lead.
It would've been a totally different game had Verhaeghe slotted that home.
"It’s the stuff that always doesn’t show on the scoresheet that might save you the game, or it might lead to a chance at the other end. That’s the beauty of it," Steven Lorentz said the morning after Toronto's 4-3 win over the Panthers in Game 2.
"It’s not always picked up and not everybody notices, and they might not get the glory, but the guys in this room recognize the things like that, and that’s all that matters."
Anthony Stolarz Won’t Travel with Maple Leafs, Questionable for Game 3 Against Panthers
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz will not accompany the team when they travel to Fort Lauderdale on Thursday.
As the Maple Leafs go up 2-0 in this series, plenty of the talk is about how they've bounced back after a goal against. Following Anton Lundell's third-period goal to tie the game, Mitch Marner threw a shot on net, which beat Sergei Bobrovsky, putting them back up.
Those moments are huge, no doubt. The plays, however, from Toronto's defensive zone are just as key.
There are the clears and box outs in front of Joseph Woll, which have shone through. The McCabe and Tanev plays on Wednesday, saving a sure goal. But what Toronto has done better than any other team in the playoffs is block shots.
'Joe Showed Why He's One Of The Best': Woll’s Resilient Play Puts Maple Leafs’ Goaltending Worries to Bed Against Panthers
With Anthony Stolarz <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/joseph-woll-named-maple-leafs-game-2-starter-as-anthony-stolarzs-return-vs-panthers-remains-uncertain">unavailable for Game 2</a> against the Florida Panthers, all eyes turned to Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll.
The Maple Leafs have 177 blocks throughout the playoffs, 21 more than the Dallas Stars, who have the second-most during the postseason. It's also 74 more than the Panthers, who've allowed nine goals in the series thus far.
Tanev (23), Simon Benoit (22), and Morgan Rielly (20) make up 37 percent of the stops for the Maple Leafs in the playoffs. Only two players are ahead of them for the most blocks in the NHL: Dallas Stars defensemen Esa Lindell and Thomas Harley (each with 24).
"That's all big, eh, in the playoffs. All those things around your net, and blocking a shot," Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said. "There's going to be breakdowns. That second and third effort is highly important. We're getting a lot out of it."
Toronto has been able to close out tight games all season long. With its 18 wins when trailing first, they've also shown that no moment is too big for them under Berube.
‘I’m Trying To Play For Him’: Maple Leafs’ Mitch Marner Confirms Letter ‘M’ On Stick As Reference To Newborn Son
In what he described as a “whirlwind,” Mitch Marner turned 28, became a father, and scored the game-winning goal in Game 2 of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ second-round series against the Florida Panthers in the last four days.
They've noticed it in these playoffs and want to keep doing it as they head to Florida for the next two games of the series.
"I mean, if we had it our way," Rielly said, "you'd be up by a couple every night and not have to worry about it. But over the course of the season, when you're in these close games, you just become more comfortable and you have a better understanding for playing within structure and doing what you need to do down the stretch in these close games.
"I mean, we're playing against a team that's also very comfortable in that position, and I would expect the games to be close and competitive moving forward. So for us, it's just about being comfortable, and I think we're going to continue to build.
"Obviously, you're happy to be up in the third, but it's nerve-wracking and challenging, and it's been a good test for our group that we've been able to stick together and execute."
Stay updated with the most interesting Maple Leafs stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.