It had all the makings of a playoff game. There were former teammates clashing for the first time since the deadline. There was a physical aspect to the game that seemed to ramp up as it went on.

While it might not have the same minutia as the Battle of Ontario or the Battle of Florida, the rivalry that has been brewing between the Panthers and Maple Leafs has been exciting to watch. Dating back to their playoff series in 2023, Florida and Toronto have been two teams that just don’t like each other.