NHL: Toronto Maple Leafs at Florida Panthers - Source: Imagn — Leafs' Brandon Carlo, $60,000,000 D-man address angry fans tossing their sweaters on ice following Game 5 loss to Panthers(Imagn)

Leafs' Brandon Carlo, $60,000,000 D-man address angry fans tossing their sweaters on ice following Game 5 loss to Panthers

Modified May 15, 2025 17:19 GMT

Following a shocking 6-1 defeat to the Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs fans threw their discarded jerseys onto the ice before they left. There was real frustration, so much so that fans parted ways with jerseys that cost upwards of $150.

The Leafs had returned home after seeing a 2-0 lead evaporate, but their fans couldn't spur them on to victory. Instead, they were embarrassed and outscored by five goals.

Defenseman Morgan Reilly, who is amid an eight-year, $60 million contract, addressed the scene in his media availability on Thursday:

"It's tough, but they have the right to do what they want. We need to play better. When that doesn't happen, everyone's upset."

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He wasn't the only player to discuss the fans' disappointment. Fellow defenseman Brandon Carlo told reporters:

"In a game like that, you know you don't want to overthink those things too much. It is a passionate fan base, that's one of the greatest things of playing here and being a Maple Leaf is having fans that are behind you like that. There's gonna be ups and downs for sure.

"[You] have bad games in the playoffs, certain things like that. It's not just subject to this group, by any means. So I think that that needs to be taken into account, too." (7:45)

The Florida Panthers have now won three in a row in this series, and the local fans could feel the series slipping away as the Panthers poured it on. Carlo, however, was not making any excuses or calling the fans out. He's sympathetic to their frustration and believes it's on the team to play well enough to prevent this from happening.

The Leafs will have one chance on the road in Game 6 to stave off defeat. If they do, they'll send the series back to Toronto for Game 7.

Maple Leafs coach at a loss for Game 5 failures

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube could only watch from the sidelines as his team took a drubbing at the hands of the Florida Panthers, the defending Stanley Cup champions.

NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Florida Panthers at Toronto Maple Leafs - Source: Imagn

Afterward, he was at a loss for words. He said via The Athletic:

“Yeah, it’s hard to explain it. We all got to be better. Myself included. We can’t start the game that way. That’s the big thing for me — sets the tone for the game. I don’t have an answer for you for why. It’s sports. Things happen.”

Toronto didn't crack the scoreboard until the third period, but the game was well in hand by then.

About the author

Zachary is a journalist covering NFL, Professional Golf, esports, and Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda. He has a degree in writing/editing from Southern Adventist University (USA), and in his spare time, he likes to play games such as Minecraft, Pokémon and Fortnite, or watch sports.

Ever since he was a youth football wide receiver, Zachary has been an avid NFL fan. He loves the Carolina Panthers, with Cam Newton being his all-time favorite player (with respect to the close second, Steve Smith). If you ever meet Zachary, prepare to hear all about how underrated Newton was and how he single-handedly dragged the Panthers to Super Bowl 50.

Zachary is also a big fan of top golfers like Tiger Woods, Wyndham Clark, and Scottie Scheffler. He enjoys watching them and hopes that Woods can return to form soon and win again.

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