You might have heard that the Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t won the Stanley Cup since 1967. But did you know that they haven’t held 2-0 series leads in consecutive series since 1963, when just four teams made the postseason?

It’s wild times we’re living in. Not only did Toronto finally win a first-round matchup for just the second time in the Salary Cap Era, but they’re actually in control against the defending Stanley Cup champions.

It’s crazy. It’s uncharted territory, really. MoneyPuck even has the Leafs with the best odds of winning the Stanley Cup at 20.9 percent and making the final at 40.1 percent.

The Maple Leafs look like a different team right now. They aren’t scared. The goaltending has been good. Even Mitch Marner scored a big playoff goal.

But they can’t afford to lie back and take things easy. The Panthers are back at home and will start playing desperate hockey to ensure they have at least one more trip across the border. Florida won their first-round series in five games – but just once at home – and they’ll be looking to keep the dream alive.

Willy Nylander is thriving, Max Pacioretty is playing like his golden days, and even Morgan Rielly looks on top of his game. Sure, Auston Matthews and John Tavares have been a bit quiet. But when you’ve got the supporting cast pulling their weight, you’ll live with it. And that’s one of the things that makes this year feel different.

So much has been made about the Core Four’s inability to produce in past years, but the bottom six wasn’t picking up the slack. A total of 11 players have found their way onto the scoresheet through two games against the Panthers, and nine players have at least two. Nylander has looked like a serious Conn Smythe candidate, and Mitch Marner has played some clutch hockey, as well. Matthews only has two goals in the playoffs, but if he can figure that out, they’ll be so dangerous.

Maple Leaf fans tend to pack opposition barns very, very well. It’s unlikely to be any different at Amerant Bank Arena, which, for many years, felt like a home away from home for Snowbirds. The Panthers will be looking for that big first hit to spice things up, whether it be Brad Marchand or Matthew Tkachuk. Toronto can’t get suckered into their mind games.

It might feel good to be a Leafs fan. But the real test has yet to come.

Sergei Boborvsky hasn’t looked good, but we’ve seen what he’s capable of when the games start to really ramp up. Florida’s core has changed a bit over the past three seasons, but they’re still one heck of a group when things come together. With all due respect to Ottawa, they weren’t a serious threat to win that first-round matchup. That was an appetizer – one that’s going to get mighty tough in the future. But for Florida, their time is now. They’re built to win, and this is exactly the test Toronto needs.

The scores might be tipped in Toronto’s favour right now, but it’s about to get much, much harder over the next few days in Sunrise. The Maple Leafs need to stay the course, bring the same intensity every night and not get lost in the limelight.

Do that, and Toronto will be just fine.