William Nylander Speaks Out on 102-Second Shift That Led to Leafs OT Defeat

Game 3 didn't turn out exactly the way the Maple Leafs wanted, losing to a Brad Marchand OT winner that bounced off Morgan Rielly in a game that had a bunch of weird and unlucky bounces for Toronto.

Nothing they can't shake off though, and with Game 4 firmly set in focus, the team is looking to bring a 3-1 lead back home.

But in that OT loss the team ended up really getting hounded by the Panthers, and a long shift created an atmosphere that led them to lose the game. They were tired, they were overworked, and it cost them.

William Nylander was one of those players stuck on the ice, and commenting ahead of Game 4 about the loss, he was pretty straightforward in his assessment:

It wasn't like he gave the Panthers any credit, nor really should he. Toronto outplayed the Panthers save for a tricky second period, and were unlucky themselves, hitting a few posts along the way.

But it doesn't change the fact that the Maple Leafs still weren't able to get a chance for a change, and Florida does deserve some credit for pressuring the team enough to give themselves a chance to win.

It's not like Nylander isn't doing is best to keep Toronto in things. Throughout the nine games thus far, he's put up 15 points (6G, 9A) which ties him with Leon Draisaitl for second, only behind Connor McDavid who has 16.

What the Maple Leafs need to do is strike early, strike often, and not let the Panthers get into their heads or run them over constantly. It's not only going to be up to Nylander, but guys like Auston Matthews have to pick it up fast.

The only way for the team to avoid getting too tired is to make sure that the game doesn't go past 60 minutes. It's not the easiest task in the world, and Florida isn't going to give them any leeway.

Let's all hope that Nylander and the rest of the crew got enough rest ahead of Game 4. We don't need them falling behind at the most critical times.