Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies felt his team did a great job of not getting suckered into the Florida Panthers’ antics during Game 1 on Monday.

An emotional night that saw goalie Anthony Stolarz exit the game due to an apparent injury ended with Knies scoring the game-winner on a breakaway. The Panthers may have made a dramatic push at the end, but the Leafs were able to hang on and get the win.

Knies told reporters after the game that part of what helped them secure the victory was being composed in the face of everything Florida threw at them.

“ We knew coming into this game that there were gonna be physical, chippy little things in between the whistles,” he said. “ I think we stayed composed throughout the whole game, especially at the end.  The last three minutes, we just made the right plays and didn’t kind of give in to their crap.  I think overall we did a great job of that stuff.”

It could have been easy for the Leafs to let their emotions get the best of them, especially in a game where Stolarz had to be stretchered out of the arena and Joseph Woll was forced to enter the game cold. But Knies credited the backup for stepping up well and giving his team a chance to win.

While he didn’t get a look at the infraction between Stolarz and Sam Bennett, Knies said he hopes that the league takes a look at it and protects the players.

“ I know he is a hard player. I know you guys see it, especially at the Four Nations,” Knies said of Bennett. “ You see that he’s an intimidating player. He likes to use that, I think it helps him.  I think he does a great job of that. But I think we limited his chances all night long.  Obviously, you don’t like to see our goalie go down, but I don’t think he was effective at what he does.  We’re just gonna have to play hard.”

Knies’ confidence in playoff games has grown exponentially in the two years since making his debut, and it was evident on his goal late in the third period, where he made a power move to give the Leafs a two-goal cushion. He credits that to keeping things simple and doing what he can to support his linemates in Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner.

“ I think playing with the guys I do, it brings me a lot of confidence,” he said. “ I gotta play with those guys the whole regular season almost, and it just makes it easier.  I learn a lot off those guys. Obviously, their leadership and their playmaking is contagious.  So a lot of credit goes to those two.”

The win was the first time the Leafs had a lead in a second-round series since 2002, which surely gives them a boost going into Game 2 on Wednesday to extend their lead. But it won’t be easy, as the Panthers showed why they are the reigning Stanley Cup champions with their tenacious forecheck giving the Leafs fits.

If they want to ensure they avoid the split at home, they will have to do what they have done all season and embrace the tight-checking playoff hockey.

“ I think we’ve been in tight games throughout the season where other teams are pushing and we’ve just found our way,” forward William Nylander said. “ I think we dug into that and  tried to bear down and grind out the W.”