Toronto's faceoff dominance (64.3%) never translated into shot volume or sustained zone time, exposing a structural disconnect between puck possession and offensive execution. Florida's depth scoring across four lines neutralized Toronto's top-heavy roster construction and decided a playoff-positioning game at Scotiabank Arena.
β‘TURNING POINT
Samoskevich's goal at 4:13 of the third extended the lead to 4β2, eliminating any realistic two-goal comeback window for Toronto on home ice. It converted a competitive deficit into a closed game, collapsing Toronto's margin for error in the final 16 minutes.
πWHY FLA WON
β’
Six different goal scorers across four lines removed any single point of defensive focus for Toronto β no line was containable.
β’
Florida's 25-shot output generated a 6-goal return, reflecting high-danger zone entry efficiency rather than volume.
β’
Tarasov conceded 0.10 goals above average on 19 shots β Florida's goaltending held the game while the offence built the lead.
πWHY TOR LOST
β’
Woll conceded 1.70 goals above average on 23 shots β in a four-goal game, that margin was the difference between a contest and a rout.
β’
Toronto's 64.3% faceoff rate produced only 19 shots, meaning possession wins never converted into sustained offensive zone pressure.
β’
A 3β0 first period hole forced Toronto into a reactive structure that Florida's depth exploited repeatedly.
Three Stars
Mackie Samoskevich1st
FLA, R
1G2A3P+33 SOG
His involvement in the turning-point goal and sustained point production across all three periods drove Florida's offensive engine.
William Nylander2nd
TOR, R
2G5 SOG19:48 TOI
Nylander's two goals represented Toronto's entire offensive output β the team's inability to generate secondary production made that isolation fatal.
Eetu Luostarinen3rd
FLA, C
1G2A3P+215:10 TOI
Luostarinen's assist on the turning-point goal and consistent zone-entry involvement anchored Florida's most productive line.
"
Florida's depth buried Toronto's top-heavy structure, but Woll conceding 1.70 goals above average turned a winnable game into a six-goal defeat.
