Cutting into the deficit for the Maple Leafs in the third period, Max Domi, shortly after a power play had expired for Toronto, sniped a shot from the slot to make it 3-2 at 4:26. From there, Sergei Bobrovsky shut the door.

The stumble of the Toronto Maple Leafs continued in a 3-2 loss to the Florida Panthers on Thursday (March 13). The defeat dropped the Leafs to 2-3-1 in March, coinciding with the Panthers’ red-hot play.

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The game marks the first of three meetings between the Maple Leafs and Panthers in the final five weeks of the season. They'll face each other again in Toronto on April 2 followed by a matchup six days later at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla.

Florida Panthers right wing Mackie Samoskevich (25), Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Alex Nylander (92) and right wing William Nylander (88) go for the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) AP

Max Domi’s physicality and energy stood out in the Toronto Maple Leafs' matchup against the Florida Panthers on Thursday night, but even his best effort couldn’t push the team past the Atlantic Division leaders.

Sam Bennett scored two power-play goals as the visiting Florida Panthers defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on Thursday night.

Max Domi isn’t going to the Toronto Marlies any time soon. But if you let social media commenters control the Toronto Maple Leafs, he would have been long gone ages ago.

The Maple Leafs remain in second place in the division, but Toronto (29-23-3, 81 points) only has a two-point lead over the surging Tampa Bay Lightning (37-23-5, 79 points), with both teams scheduled to play each other one final time on April 9.