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Marchand is a noted Leafs killer whose success against the Maple Leafs dates back to the 2013 seven-game series featuring the Phil Kessel-era Leafs. He has 12 goals and 21 assists in 31 playoff games against Toronto.

“His work ethic, he’s hard on pucks, he’s tenacious,” said Florida teammate Sam Reinhart. “Players like that shine at this time of year.”

The Leafs have never beaten a team with Marchand on it in a post-season series.

“Marchand adds creativity to his line,” said Leafs head coach Craig Berube. “He’s a good player, makes plays, subtle little things he does on the ice. Makes them a more dangerous line.”

His Bruins beat the Leafs in 2013, 2018, 2019 and 2024, each series going to seven games.

“He plays hard, always plays hard,” said Leafs centre John Tavares.

On a night of funny bounces, Marchand made sure the Panthers got the last one with his winner off Rielly, who had actually forced overtime with a lucky bounce of his own.

“That’s how pucks are going in right now; it’s not just this series,” said Rielly.

“In overtime, we had our opportunities. It’s a bounce, that’s what happens in overtime,” said Berube.

The Maple Leafs, of course, hope Friday night’s setback was just a blip.

“We’re happy to be up in the series,” said Rielly. “Tonight wasn’t the result we wanted, but there are good things going on. We’ll try to clean up the areas that need to be addressed. We’re in a good position. It’s important to stay focussed.”

Any way you look at it, it’s a battle. A battle for space, for bounces, for earning the puck, for taking a hit, and scoring when it matters.

Fast start for Leafs

Matthew Knies scored 23 seconds in the game — the fourth-fastest start to a playoff game in Leafs history. Tavares scored twice, tipping a Mitch Marner shot each time to establish a 3-1 lead.

But it was Rielly who forced the overtime in the third period after Florida had asserted itself in the middle frame. Rielly got a lucky bounce after being the victim of a bad bounce in the second that helped the Panthers get back into the game.

“They’re a good team,” said Tavares. “We didn’t execute as well playing through the pressure. We battled hard in the third, got some pressure back, earned an opportunity. Overtime just didn’t go our way.”

Rielly simply took a shot — the lesson all teams ought to learn from in the tight-checking post-season. It was a snap shot from 47 feet that Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky got a pad on, but the rebound hit defenceman Seth Jones and bounced into the net with 9:04 remaining in the third.

About the goalies ...

It was a night of close calls and lucky bounces that will have both goalies under the microscope. The Leafs came ever-so-close to taking a 3-0 series lead with overtime chances by William Nylander and Knies but Bobrovsky had his best game of the series.

Joseph Woll’s game will be dissected for ages, the Leafs netminder allowing three goals over nine minutes 54 second period that turned a 3-1 pc28����lead into a 4-3 deficit.

“I thought he was really good,” Berube said of Woll. “I didn’t love the fourth goal, but other than that I thought he was solid.”

Woll took over the net halfway through Game 1 of the series when Anthony Stolarz left the game, suffering an apparent concussion. Stolarz did not accompany the team to Florida and is an unlikely to be available for Sunday’s Game 4 in Sunrise, Fla.

“Thought we played a strong game, especially in the third and overtime,” said Woll. “The difference is the bounce one way. That’s how playoff games go. Just got to reset. You just shake it off. Bounces go both ways. That’s hockey.”

The Leafs are still in the driver’s seat. Teams that are up two games to one have won 391 series all-time, losing 177 (a .688 winning percentage).

Rookie Dennis Hildeby backed up Woll for Game 3 after veteran Matt Murray had done so in Game 2. Murray was sick, Berube said.

“Whatever happens, we have to keep going, keep playing, keep pushing,” said Tavares. “We know we can be better. We have to be.”