After the blowout loss in Game 5, Toronto Maple Leafs fans didn’t expect a miraculous third-period comeback. What they wanted to see was something much more basic — pride. Confidence. A response. There was a job to do. Even in a game clearly out of reach, there was still a chance to send a message: This isn’t over.
Instead, fans saw doubt. It was the withering kind.
When the Panthers Went Ahead by Two Goals, The Air Left the Building
When Florida made it 2-0, you could feel the Maple Leafs sag. After five games of getting punished by a physical, relentless Panthers team, it was like the belief drained out of them. That can’t happen again.
So what’s the Maple Leafs’ job for Friday? It’s not just to survive Game 6 — it’s to reset the tone of this series.
Forget the score. Forget the boos. The Maple Leafs need to play with confidence. They must send the message that they are not done yet, because the opportunity is still there. The series is 3-2. Would you have taken this scenario at the start of the season? Probably.
You’re down a game to the defending Stanley Cup champions. You’ve got a chance to push it to seven. Then, you have to do it again!
Head Coach Craig Berube’s Job Is to Earn His Salary, Or Not
Craig Berube’s biggest job now isn’t tactics — it’s helping the Maple Leafs believe. Florida plays punishing hockey. They grind you down over time. But the Maple Leafs still have enough talent to fight back — if they find that next level of will. No penalties that put you in a hole. No going on the defensive or into a shell.
Ignore the negative and force the positive. As Hockey Canada panelist Kevin Bieksa noted after the game, there’s no aggregate in the playoffs. You start fresh every night. Game 6 is that fresh start. And the job is clear:
Don’t just play better. Play like you believe this isn’t over.
We’ll see what the Maple Leafs are made of on Friday.
