The Toronto Maple Leafs were blown out 6-1 in a Game 5 loss to the Florida Panthers to go down 3-2 in their playoff series.
The Maple Leafs were never in the game, and a big reason why was the poor play of Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. Both players have struggled in this series, and after Game 5, NHL analyst JD Bunkis of Sportsnet didn’t hold his feelings back on them.
“I just can’t be convinced these guys care the way other people do,” Bunkis said on Leafs Talk. “After the game, they asked Marner about the no shots, and he said he’s just trying to get shots through sticks, that’s my game. That’s your game, brother? Your game is no shots in two games against the Florida Panthers? What are you talking about, you have to be better, you want 13 million dollars this offseason…
“I just don’t think you two care. I’m sorry, I’m done pretending,” Bunkis added. “Do you not care? How can you not be pissed off about this? Just look angry. It’s the same thing over and over.”
It’s a fair point, as many analysts and fans have called out Mathews and Marner for their playoff performances. Now, Bunkis wonders if either of the star players even care about the results of the game.
Marner is in the final year of his six-year, $65.41 million deal with the Maple Leafs. Matthews, meanwhile, is in the first year of his four-year, $53 million deal.
Maple Leafs’ Marner Turning Attention to Game 6
Marner had a disappointing Game 5 at home, and he’s looking to put that behind him.
The Maple Leafs’ star had a brutal turnover that resulted in a goal, and he says his mindset has already shifted to Game 6.
“Some sloppy play, not hard enough working, giving away too many opportunities around our net, there’s a good list of it,” Marner said after Game 5. “I don’t think anyone’s happy about it. Time to reset, time to refocus, get ready for our flight tomorrow, go into Florida and play a hockey game.”
With Marner being a pending free agent, if Toronto loses Game 6 in Florida, he likely could have played his last game as a Maple Leafs player at home. However, he says he isn’t thinking about that at all.
“No thoughts of that at all,” Marner said. “It’s obviously not the spot we want to be in, but you can’t do anything about it. We know this is gonna be a rollercoaster of a ride, we know it’s not gonna be easy.”
Marner has 2 goals and 10 assists in 11 playoff games this season.
Maple Leafs Captain Puts Blame on Himself
Matthews and Marner both struggled in Game 5, and Matthews put the blame on himself.
The Maple Leafs captain says he has to be better and is confident he will be better in Game 6 in Florida.
“I mean, I don’t think we gave them much reason to stick around,” Matthews said. “I think everybody’s gotta look in the mirror, myself included. Everybody wants to be better. Everybody wants to obviously win.”
Matthews has yet to score in the second round of the playoffs.
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