Maple Leafs stave off elimination with Game 4 win over Panthers

The Maple Leafs aren't done yet.

Mitch Marner had goal and an assist as Toronto downed the Florida Panthers 2-1 in a must-win Game 4 to cut the deficit to 3-1 in the teams' second-round series Wednesday.

William Nylander also scored for the visiting Leafs. Rookie goaltender Joseph Woll made 24 saves in his first post-season start with Ilya Samsonov sidelined due to injury. Marner and Nylander both snapped seven-game goal droughts.

Looking to become just the fifth team in NHL history to climb out of a 3-0 hole, Toronto gets at least a 48-hour reprieve and will host Game 5 of the best-of-seven matchup Friday at Scotiabank Arena.

Game 6, if necessary, would be Sunday back in South Florida.

The Leafs caught a big break at 3:28 of the second period on their first power play.

Toronto winger Michael Bunting tried to put the puck behind Florida's net, but it went off the referee in the corner and caromed to Nylander, who jabbed the puck off the post, off Bobrovsky and in for his first goal of the series and third of the playoffs for a 1-0 lead.

MITCHY!!!! <a href="https://t.co/iOdFKbQ5To">pic.twitter.com/iOdFKbQ5To</a>

The Panthers netminder made a big stop on Bunting on another Toronto man advantage later in the period. David Kampf was then stopped twice in tight.

Woll, who got the call after Samsonov was injured in Game 3, held the fort at the other end before Kampf was crushed by Florida's Radko Gudas after the whistle on a delayed Toronto penalty. The Leafs forward went to the locker room, but returned for the third period.

John Tavares had a terrific opportunity to make it 2-0 late in the second, but Bobrovsky was there to deny the Toronto captain — just as he did in Game 2.

Woll made a nice stop on a Josh Mahura tip five