Panthers take commanding lead on Maple Leafs
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The Associated Press
SUNRISE, Fla. -- Florida briefly limited ticket sales for their series against Toronto to fans with U.S. credit cards, a decision that some Maple Leafs fans thought was designed keep them from coming to Games 3 and 4.
The Panthers might be able to keep them from a Game 5 in Toronto, too.
Sam Reinhart scored 3:02 into overtime and the Panthers -- who had to fight just to squeak into the playoffs, then stunned Boston in Round 1 -- are on the brink of their first conference finals appearance since 1996. Florida topped Toronto 3-2 on Sunday night, taking a 3-0 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series.
"We've had a lot of guys stepping up at big moments," Reinhart said.
None bigger than he did to win it. Reinhart dumped the puck off the boards behind the net to set up his game-winner, then headed behind the goal to take a pass back from Anton Lundell. Reinhart twirled his way to the front, tapped the puck home and just like that, Florida had its first series lead in 27 years.
Hollidaysburg's Sam Lafferty and Erik Gustafsson scored for Toronto.
Lafferty one-timed a pass from David Kampf home just 2:26 into the contest to finish off a 2-on-1 and open the scoring.