Takeaways - Leafs vs. Panthers - 12/20/18

LEAFS GET POWER PLAY GOAL ON FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE FIRST LEAD
The Leafs were back at Scotiabank Arena after a five-game road trip, and Toronto began the game on a positive note, keeping the Pathers at bay in the opening period while generating a power play goal - from centre Auston Matthews, with 1:43 left in the first period:

MATTHEWS SCORES SECOND OF GAME EARLY IN SECOND PERIOD TO DOUBLE TORONTO'S LEAD
The Leafs and Panthers played a fairly even first 20 minutes of hockey in the opening frame (Toronto had 10 shots on net in the first, while Florida had nine), but the Buds continued to take advantage of their chances in the second frame - and once again, Matthews was the man to put the puck in the net and give his team a 2-0 lead at 3:50 of the second:

Matthews' second goal of the game (and his 19th of the season in his 21st game of the year) was another brilliant one-timer, this time set up by Rielly for his second point of the night. And the fact the goal came so early in the second was reason for Toronto to play with even more belief in their game and a savvy aggressiveness the Panthers had difficulty handling.
AFTER DISALLOWED GOAL, KADRI STRIKES MIDWAY THROUGH SECOND, BOOSTS LEAFS' LEAD
Leafs centre Nazem Kadri thought he had scored his ninth goal of the season early in the second, but after a video review, the on-ice officials ruled the goal did not count. However, Kadri quickly folllowed up on that ruling by scoring a goal that couldn't be questioned by anyone:

Kadri and forward Connor Brown broke in on Florida goalie Roberto Luongo on a 2-on-1 rush, and Brown's perfect pass led to Kadri's goal and a 3-0 Leafs lead at 11:14 of the second. Rielly got the second assist on the scoring play, giving him three helpers on the night, his 28th assist of the season, and his 39th point of the year. That put Rielly first among all NHL defencemen in points - three ahead of Ottawa's Thomas Chabot, who began the night tied with Rielly for first overall - and was an indication of how Rielly's all-around game has grown in his six years as a Leaf.
TAVARES NETS POWER PLAY GOAL EARLY IN THIRD, ADDS ANOTHER SHORTLY AFTERWARD, AND MARNER SCORES AS WELL TO WRAP UP SECOND STRAIGHT WIN FOR LEAFS
If the Leafs were intent on answering questions about their power play, they succeeded in a notable manner: after Panthers blueliner Alex Petrovic was called for tripping at the 2:25 mark of the third period, Toronto needed only 13 seconds before scoring their fourth goal of the night and second power play marker in as many opportunities:

Centre John Tavares backhanded the puck past Luongo on a rebound off a Matthews shot, and Tavares had his team-leading 22nd goal of the year. However, Tavares was not done scoring: just 3:03 after his first goal of the game, he put another one past Luongo (after a sweet setup pass from winger Mitch Marner) to put the Leafs ahead 5-0:

At that point, the Panthers replaced Luongo with understudy James Reimer, and though Florida netted a power play goal midway through the third, it was too late - the Leafs had already put a stranglehold on the game to eventually win their second in a row. And to underscore Toronto's offensive power, Marner added another goal - his 10th of the season - at 15:14 of the third. And Rielly added another assist on the play to give him four points in the game:

Toronto's next game comes Saturday, when they host the New York Rangers - and if the Leafs' offence - which now has produced 12 goals in its past two games - can continue to assert itself early and often, Leafs Nation is going to be an extremely happy region.