Maple Leafs clinch, playing the right way to win​on April 3, 2025 at 4:25 am

The playoff spot has been clinched.

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Now go win the Atlantic Division, Maple Leafs.

Give yourselves the best chance to succeed in the Stanley Cup tournament and take advantage of home ice when you can.

For the ninth year in a row — the longest current streak in the National Hockey League — the Leafs will participate in the playoffs.

The Leafs needed at least a single point on Wednesday against the Florida Panthers to lock up their spot, and got two in a 3-2 win at Scotiabank Arena.

The Leafs increased their lead in the Atlantic Division to three points over the Tampa Bay Lightning and four over the Panthers.

The Leafs and Panthers, who meet again next Tuesday in Florida, each have seven games remaining. The Lightning have a game in hand on both clubs.

The Leafs have won their division just twice since 1967 — in 2021 and in 2000.

Our takeaways from Wednesday night:

CLINCHING FEELING

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The Leafs have a full day off on Thursday, and though they can take the time to relax, they’re not going to put their feet up as the regular season winds down.

Clinching with seven games to play was important.

“It’s a long grind,” John Tavares said. “It’s a special thing to play for the Stanley Cup. We’re excited to have the opportunity to again, we earned our ticket there, and we’ll continue to work to finish as high as we can and make the most of the opportunity.

“We know how difficult our division is, how difficult this league is. We have been really good on trying to be really small with our focus and just approaching each day one at a time. It’s boring and cliche, but I just like the attitude and the focus of the group.”

That the Leafs clinched against the Panthers, the defending Stanley Cup champions, wasn’t lost on the players. And yes, we take into account that Florida didn’t have captain Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk, who are injured, and defenceman Aaron Ekblad, who is suspended.

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“We know what’s at stake,” goalie Anthony Stolarz said. “Our goal is to win the division and get home-ice advantage, and this is a team, more likely than not, if we want to accomplish what we want to accomplish, that we’re going to have to run into in the playoffs.”

What impressed us most was what happened in the third period.

The Leafs’ stars took over in a tight game that had all the elements of what an actual playoff game entails.

They did what they’re paid to do, as William Nylander might say.

Space wasn’t only limited, it barely was noticeable, but the Auston Matthews line produced two five-on-five goals the final 20 minutes to provide the difference. At five-on-five, the Leafs outshot the Panthers 10-5 in the third.

Goals by Mitch Marner and Matthew Knies put the Leafs on a path to their 46th win of 2024-25.

“It’s the type of hockey that we knew we had to play against Florida,” coach Craig Berube said. “There’s no room, so you have to fight for space and it’s a lot of stuff around your net. It’s just winning battles, winning puck battles constantly. Chipping pucks out, chipping them in.

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“The net front was key. We were hard around our net. We didn’t give up the second and third chances. They got a chance, but we were right at the net with numbers and competed there and that’s important.”

Playoff hockey, in other words.

STOLARZ SHINES (AGAIN)

If Stolarz figures he needs to give his teammates a boost, it’s not just about making saves.

He made 29 stops, but there was more to his performance, and there has been all season.

“He has a little bit of a laid-back personality, but his intensity once he puts those pads on is pretty incredible,” Tavares said. “The way he is barking and talking out there and into the game … you see the competitiveness, the way he fights for pucks, and the athleticism of a big guy, and how much he challenges shooters and enjoys the battle, enjoys the competition and urges his teammates on.”

Marner has seen it before, going back to the 2013-14 season when he and Stolarz were teammates with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League.

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“I think he’s one of the most vocal goalies I’ve ever had, which is great,” Marner said. “He lets you know where guys are on the ice, penalty kill, even-strength wise, up the ice. That’s what you want from your goalie. You want him to be letting you know where guys are.”

Said Berube: “He’s pretty intense. I’ve heard him a few times not too happy about things, which is fine. He’s fiery, which is good. You like that fire.”

If you’re looking ahead to Game 1 of the first round, is there really any debate about who should start in net for the Leafs? Stolarz showed his mettle on Wednesday night.

What’s left of the regular season should be geared toward getting Stolarz ready for the post-season opener.

JOIN THE STAFF

Berube didn’t hold back in his evaluation of what Tavares provides on a daily basis.

“You love the professionalism and the mindset he has day in and day out,” Berube said. “He’s almost like having another coach around, just to ask him things and what his thoughts are. When I watch John, it’s just the preparation daily. It never changes. It’s always his routine and it allows him to be successful at a later age in life.”

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Hockey life, that is. Tavares is 34. Older in the NHL, but still a relative youngster in general.

Tavares’ machine-like ways produced another goal, his 36th. Nylander found him with a hard, crisp pass that Tavares re-directed past Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky at 11:31 of the second, erasing a 1-0 Florida lead.

“It always feels good to continue, to score, to put the puck in the net, but I don’t try to get too down or get too high,” Tavares said of his confidence. “Enjoy it, know it’s helping the team. It has put me in a good spot mentally, how you want to continue to get better and continue to make an impact and contribute.”

tkoshan@postmedia.com

X: @koshtorontosun

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