Panthers HC gets 100% honest about Matthew Tkachuk and Sergei Bobrovsky's performances through Game 1 & 2

Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice was candid when assessing the performances of Matthew Tkachuk and Sergei Bobrovsky through the first two games of their playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Panthers dropped both games to the Maple Leafs to open the series, falling 5-3 in Game 1 on Monday and 4-3 in Game 2 two days later. Sergei Bobrovsky gave up five goals in the opener and four more in the second as Florida now heads home looking to regroup for Game 3.

"I didn’t love his first game. Up until the fourth one, I don’t look at him for any of the first three. We didn’t give up a tremendous amount tonight, but the danger on the rush is significant. The goalie is going to be fine," Paul Maurice said about Bobrovsky’s performance after Game 2.

As for Tkachuk, who has played through an injury sustained before the playoffs, picked up an assist in Game 1 and registered three shots on goal in Game 2.

Maurice has been encouraged by Tkachuk’s improving play:

"I thought he was good tonight. He was generating. This was the best game he has played, for me. I’ve liked his game."

Matthew Tkachuk was sidelined for the final 25 games of the regular season after suffering a lower-body injury during the 4 Nations Face-Off in February while representing Team USA.

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Paul Maurice on Panthers' 4-3 loss to Leafs in Game 2

Paul Maurice acknowledged the Panthers struggles in Game 1 but reckons they bounced back with a much stronger effort in Game 2, even though they came up just short.

Maurice said:

“You have to understand your game. We didn’t like our Game 1, but we liked our game tonight. We came out on the road and lost two one-goal games. We’ll go back home now.”

Maurice also addressed the issue of odd-man rushes, noting that while the team may have been slow reacting in Game 1, they often had control of the puck before those breakdowns.

“On that transition, that is where you would like to be able to hang onto it a little bit more, perhaps,” Maurice added.

The Panthers got goals from Aleksander Barkov, Brad Marchand and Anton Lundell. Toronto netted from Mitch Marner, William Nylander, Max Pacioretty and Max Domi, while Joseph Woll turned away 25 shots.