Toronto Maple Leafs' Mitch Marner talks about his game-winner after birth of son

For a team that's often been haunted by its playoff demons, the Toronto Maple Leafs sure are getting a lot of timely bounces right now.

On Wednesday night, it was Mitch Marner picking up the winning goal midway through the third period in a 4-3 victory over the Florida Panthers to give the Leafs a 2-0 second round series lead over the Florida Panthers.

And while scoring the goal to give his team a win over the defending Stanley Cup champions would be a big enough event for anyone's week, it came just three days after Marner and his wife Stephanie welcomed their first son Miles into the world, one day before Mitch's 28th birthday.

"It's been a whirlwind to say the least," Marner said postgame to reporters. "It's been a really exciting time in my house with my wife and I and our families, with the excitement of our newborn. My wife has been an absolute beast for this whole process, letting me get my sleep and taking the reins on our newborn self. It's been a special moment."

MITCH MARNER GIVES THE MAPLE LEAFS THE LEAD 17 SECONDS LATER 👏 pic.twitter.com/vOsHx56d1y

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 8, 2025

And in an on-ice interview with Sportsnet's Kyle Bukauskas, Marner seemed most excited about getting to see his family and celebrate.

"It's a special one for sure. I can't wait to get home and give him a kiss," he said. 

Toronto had trailed both 1-0 and 2-1 on the night, before goals from Max Domi and William Nylander gave Toronto a 3-2 lead heading into the third period. Florida's Anton Lundell tied things up 5:33 into the period, but just 17 seconds later it was Marner who broke the deadlock.

For Marner's bench boss, he praised the Leafs winger's two-way ability and knack for coming up in the big moments, including setting up Connor McDavid for an overtime goal in the 4 Nations Face-Off final earlier this year.

"A lot of good stuff is happening in his life. It was a huge goal tonight," Leafs coach Craig Berube said of Marner. "Mitch is a great player. He is a very intelligent player. He plays extremely well on both sides of the puck. He touches all areas of the game for you. He does have the ability to make something happen when it counts."

At the other end of the ice, Joseph Woll made his first start of the playoffs, making 25 of 28 stops to pick up the win.

"I thought the team was great in front of me," Woll said. "It's been special to see guys just put their body on the line. Forwards and defencemen. Night in and night out. That's unbelievable. That's what it takes. And we have a lot of special players willing to do that and do the hard things."

Much like Marner, Berube praised Woll's ability to step up when it needed for Toronto.

"Very calm and cool in the net. He made saves. Pucks were coming to the net all the time against Florida. He was on his toes. He was fighting through traffic and making the saves that were needed. Very impressed by him tonight," he said.

The Leafs and Panthers head to Sunrise, Florida for Game 3 of the series, getting underway Friday night at 7 p.m.