The game marks the first of three meetings between the Maple Leafs and Panthers in the final five weeks of the season. They'll face each other again in Toronto on April 2 followed by a matchup six days later at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla.

The Florida Panthers are a difficult team to beat. Even without Matthew Tkachuk, new acquisition Brad Marchand, and Aaron Ekblad, the Panthers won 3-2 on Thursday in Toronto. They also showed why they'll be a tough out once the playoffs roll around.

The stumble of the Toronto Maple Leafs continued in a 3-2 loss to the Florida Panthers on Thursday (March 13). The defeat dropped the Leafs to 2-3-1 in March, coinciding with the Panthers’ red-hot play.