The Toronto Maple Leafs lost both Game 2 and an impressive rookie as the Florida Panthers rallied Thursday night to win 3-2 and take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies left the game during the first period after he was checked by Panthers forward Sam Bennett. Knies was shoved into the boards by Bennett, who then slammed him to the ice. Knies appeared dazed after the play.
The Maple Leafs later announced that Knies, who joined the team late in the season after helping lead the University of Minnesota to the NCAA championship game, would not return.
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Knies got into the lineup in the postseason after a first-round suspension to Michael Bunting and has had a strong postseason with a goal and three assists. He also saved a goal in Game 4 against the Tampa Bay Lightning that allowed Toronto to overcome a 4-1 deficit.
There was no penalty called on the play, though Bennett (team-high 10 hits) was later penalized for cross-checking Bunting in the neck.
Toronto, which has reached the second round for the first time since 2004, took a quick 2-0 first-period lead on goals by Alexander Kerfoot and Ryan O’Reilly, but Florida’s Anton Lundell cut the lead to 2-1 before the period ended.
Aleksander Barkov and Gustav Forsling scored 57 seconds apart early in the second period to put the Panthers up 3-2 and Sergei Bobrovsky made the lead stand, finishing with 34 saves.
The Panthers, who upset the Boston Bruins in the first round, have won five in a row. They head home for Games 3 and 4 on Sunday and Wednesday.
Panthers’ Josh Mahura bloodied by puck
Panthers defenseman Josh Mahura left the game in the second period when he was hit by a puck on a fluke play. Mahura was pursuing Kerfoot around the back of the net when William Nylander’s shot went high and wide and appeared to catch the defenseman on the visor near his eye.
Mahura was bleeding heavily as he left the ice. He eventually returned in the third period and skated a couple shifts.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Matthew Knies injured on Sam Bennett hit as Panthers win Game 2
