Florida Panthers vs. Toronto Maple Leafs: Another Game, Another Fight
The Florida Panthers have developed a reputation for intense, physical hockey, and their recent game against the Toronto Maple Leafs was no exception. On March 11, Panthers forward Sam Bennett initiated a brawl by jabbing his stick into the back of Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov. However, Bennett quickly found himself on the losing end, as Zadorov swiftly dropped him to the ice with a flurry of punches, forcing the referees to intervene.
SCHMIDT AND DOMI DROP THE GLOVES AT CENTER ICE đ„ pic.twitter.com/NUQG4QsNMl
â B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 13, 2025
Just days later, the Panthers were back in action, this time facing the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena in a high-stakes matchup between two of the leagueâs top teams. In this contest, it was defenseman Nate Schmidt who took up the role of enforcer, only to meet a fate similar to Bennettâs.
A Fiery Start to the Game
The game was barely underway when Maple Leafs forward Max Domi delivered a punishing hit on Panthers winger Carter Verhaeghe, sending him flying. Schmidt immediately took exception and retaliated by slamming Domi into the boards. What followed was almost inevitable in a high-intensity game like thisâboth players dropped their gloves.
Schmidt managed to land the first punch, but from that moment on, it was all Domi. The Maple Leafs forward grabbed Schmidtâs sweater, pulled him down, and unleashed a relentless series of punches before heading to the penalty box. The home crowd roared in approval, and Domiâs teammates appreciated his effort, reinforcing his reputation as a player unafraid to stand up for his team.
Domiâs History of Toughness
This wasnât the first time Domi had stepped in to protect a teammate. In April 2024, New Jersey Devils rookie defenseman Simon Nemec tried to rough up Leafs star Auston Matthews. Domi didnât hesitate to respond, ensuring Nemec learned a tough lesson. After that game, Matthews expressed gratitude, saying, âThatâs what heâs all about. Heâs a team-first guy. Heâs always gonna stick up for his teammates. I didnât think he had to do that, but obviously, he felt the need to. And Iâm always appreciative of guys standing up for one another, and myself as well.â
Domiâs impact that night wasnât limited to his fists. He also assisted Matthews in scoring his record-breaking 67th and 68th goals of the season, although the Leafs ultimately lost the game 6-5. Interestingly, the recent game against the Panthers had a similar outcome in terms of the scoreboard.
The Panthers Take Control
Following the fight, the Panthers capitalized on a power-play opportunity, with Bennett scoring to level the game. Florida then seized control in the second period, extending their lead to two goals. Niko Mikkola found the back of the net, and Bennett added another goal, making it 3-1. Domi responded with a goal of his own to cut the deficit to 3-2, but that was as close as the Maple Leafs would get.
Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky played a crucial role in securing the win, stopping 23 shots and keeping Toronto from mounting a comeback. The victory solidified Floridaâs position at the top of the Atlantic Division, extending their lead over Toronto by four points.
Domiâs Surprising Take on the Division Race
Despite the implications of the game, Domi made a surprising statement before the matchup, claiming that winning the division wasnât a priority for the Leafs. âThat shâ doesnât matter to us. Weâre just trying to beat every team we play against, and every game is just as important,â he said.
While his perspective may seem unconventional, it reflects the teamâs focus on individual performances rather than the standings. His teammate Steven Lorentz, however, saw things differently. âWeâre preparing for a playoff-like game. You can say that about a lot of games, but itâs no secret that both teams are battling for that first-place spot,â Lorentz remarked.
Toronto has been a consistent playoff team over the past eight seasons, but they have only secured a divisional title once during that spanâin the pandemic-shortened 2021 season. Another divisional championship could serve as a confidence booster heading into the postseason, but for that to happen, the Leafs will need to secure more than just victories in fights.
As the regular season winds down, the battle for the Atlantic Division remains fierce, with Florida and Toronto continuing to fightâboth on the scoreboard and on the ice.