SUNRISE, Fla. -- With 15 regular-season games left for both teams, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers have spent the past couple of days in South Florida, having been off since Saturday.
But while they are close geographically at the moment in preparation for their game on Tuesday night at the BB&T Center, they are living different realities in terms of the standings.
The Maple Leafs (31-22-14) have 76 points and remained in position for the eighth and final spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs when the New York Islanders were handed an 8-4 loss against the Carolina Hurricanes.