Maple Leafs head to Florida down 0-2 and under pressure: ‘A lot of hockey left’

The Leafs aren't back where they started, the sense of relief getting past Tampa Bay is difficult to quantify, but a sputtering start to the Panthers matchup has them in a hole.

TORONTO — The Maple Leafs are back under pressure — and under the microscope.

Having finally won a playoff series for the first time in 19 years when John Tavares banked in the Game 6 overtime clincher to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning and spark wild celebrations across a tortured fan base, Toronto now finds itself down 0-2 to the underdog Florida Panthers in the second round following consecutive home losses.

What a difference seven days can make.

The Leafs certainly aren’t right back where they started — the sense of relief after getting past the Lightning is difficult to quantify — but a sputtering start to the Panthers matchup has them in a deep hole.

“The challenge is the challenge,” Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe said before the team flew south ahead of Sunday’s Game 3. “But the group feels good and remains confident and optimistic. Excited to get out on the road. It’s a place that we’ve developed some confidence. But it doesn’t make it any easier.

“The puck will drop and then the game will be hard and competitive.”

Tuesday’s 4-2 loss to Florida in the opener saw the Leafs unable to match the desperation of an opponent coming off a stunning Game 7 upset of the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Boston Bruins after trailing that series 3-1.

Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky started to show glimpses of the form that secured him two Vezina Trophy nods earlier in his career, and was even better in Game 2 as he stymied the Leafs following the home side’s flying start on the way to building an early 2-0 lead.