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He’s just become a dad, now with the initial M — for baby Miles — on his stick, along with the ever-present Z for his dog Zeus.

And for good measure, he scored the winner on Wednesday night in the Maple Leafs 4-3 win over the Florida Panthers that has pc28����up two-games-to-none in the best-of-seven Stanley Cup second round series.

“It’s been a whirlwind to say the least,” said Marner. “It’s been a really exciting time in my house with my wife and I and our families, with the excitement of our newborn. My wife has been an absolute beast for this whole process, letting me get my sleep and taking the reins on our newborn self. It’s been a special moment. It’s pretty special feeling tonight for scoring that goal for sure.”

After Anton Lundell tied the game in the third period, Marner scored the winner 17 seconds later by just tossing a floater at Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.

“It’s going to be a roller-coaster ride every game. There’s going to be different ups and downs throughout everything. We’re playing a hell of a hockey team over there. They’re going to come with everything, especially when they’re down goals.”

The Maple Leafs haven’t had these moments in the post-season — at least not quite as regularly — from their core players. William Nylander got his sixth goal of the playoffs — he’s being mentioned now as a Conn Smythe candidate. The Leafs also got goals from Max Pacioretty and Max Domi and a 25-save performance from goalie Joseph Woll���ɾ��ٳ���Anthony Stolarz still sidelined.

But the winner by the new dad stood out among the feel-good stories on what is becoming a feel-good post season.

“A lot of good things are happening in his life,” said Berube. “Obviously a huge goal tonight. Mitch is a great player, a very intelligent player. He plays extremely well on both sides of the puck and touches all areas of the game.

“But he does have the ability to make something happen when it counts. That’s what we need out of these guys.”

Chaotic fun

There was no Stolarz — he’s “recovering,” Berube said, offering no timeline for his return.

But there was no vigilantism.

There was just crazy fun in a night of big hits, bigger saves, mad scrambles, freewheeling rushes, Brandon Carlo and Brad Marchand renewing acquaintances, Sam Bennett hearing it from the Maple Leafs faithful at Scotiabank Arena.

The second period in particular was chaos as the Leafs built a 3-2 lead.

After Marchand scored just 15 seconds into the period and Nylander got it back a little over four minutes later, the game took on a heavy edge. There were big hits with whistles largely swallowed. In the Florida net, Bobrovsky flipped and flopped every time a Leaf came close, but the officials weren’t buying.

Things got heated when Scott Laughton hit Evan Rodrigues with a big hit in the neutral zone, prompting Nate Schmidt to join in. Rodrigues appeared to be taken from the game from the concussion spotter, and assessed two minutes for embellishment among the many penalties handed out for the infractions. Pontus Holmberg was making no friends and feeling the brunt of it.

But the game opened up, becoming a track meet the Leafs are much better at. Woll made a number of saves on Florida rushes, a kick save on Marchand standing out.

The Leafs had a number of chances, with Domi finishing off a four-way passing play for a 3-2 lead late in the second.

In the third, as the Panthers inevitably pressed late for the equalizer, a prone Jake McCabe denied a goal by clearing a puck from the crease with his hand with Woll caught out of position. But the Leafs held on even as Florida pulled Bobrovsky for the extra attacker.

“I thought the team was great in front of me,” Woll said. “It’s been special to see guys just put their body on the line. Forwards and defencemen. Night in and night out. That’s unbelievable. That’s what it takes. And we have a lot of special players willing to do that and do the hard things.”

Woll is no slouch come playoff time. Though it was just his first start of this post-season, it was his ninth playoff game in all. At 26, Woll is five years younger than Stolarz but actually has played more post-season games. Stolarz is up to seven, including one appearance last year in Florida.

And he made big saves when he needed to, a kick save on Mackie Samoskevich midway through the third standing out as a game-saver.

“He came in last game, played great, and played great today as well,” Nylander said. “We need everybody just working their bag off and trying to play their best every night.”

Woll posted his fifth playoff win, stopping 25 of 28 shots.

“He was very calm and cool and he made saves,” Berube said of Woll. “Pucks are coming at the net all the time when you’re playing Florida. So he was on his toes, fighting through traffic and making the saves that are needed. Very impressed with him tonight.”

Sunshine state

The Leafs have used home ice to their advantage, but Games 3 and 4 are Friday and Sunday in Sunrise, Fla. History says the Leafs are in good shape. Teams that start at home and win the first two games are 270-35 (.885) all time in best-of-seven scenarios.

The Panthers are trailing 2-0 in a series for the first time since the 2023 Stanley Cup Final, which they lost to Vegas.

“We didn’t like our Game 1, but we liked our game tonight,” said Panthers coach Paul Maurice. “There’s lots of stuff we liked about our game that we can improve on and do more. We’ll take a look at it and be better.”

Game notes

Outside of Woll starting and veteran Matt Murray backing up, the Leafs went with the same group of forwards and defencemen.

The Panthers got big defenceman Aaron Ekblad back from suspension and added Samoskevich for speed.

Morgan Rielly tied Ian Turnbull for the second-most playoff points by a defenceman in Maple Leafs history (45). Börje Salming tops the list with 49.

Nylander scored his sixth goal of the post-season — the most in a playoff year by a Maple Leafs player since Joe Nieuwendyk (six in 2004).