The defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers opened their second-round series against the Maple Leafs in Toronto with a 5-4 loss Monday night, but they nearly flipped a lackluster start into dramatic late comeback,

The Panthers won the Battle of Florida. The Maple Leafs won the Battle of Ontario. Now, it’s the Battle of the Atlantic. The Panthers and Maple Leafs begin their best-of-7 Stanley Cup playoffs second-round series at 8 p.m. Monday from Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

Florida Panthers defenseman Nate Schmidt (88), second from left, skates with the puck as Toronto Maple Leafs right wing William Nylander (88), right, defends during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) AP