The Panthers-Maple Leafs series has had it all. Be it the eye-catching incidents or some astonishing play, fans have witnessed all the emotions of hockey. One such incident occurred in Game 5, which was widely discussed on social media. During the third period of Game 4 between the Panthers and the Maple Leafs, Evan Rodrigues was forced out of the game after defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson appeared to injure him. Subsequently, there emerged more bad news for the Panthers, and fans couldn’t keep calm after hearing it.

It is believed that Rodrigues hasn’t recovered completely following the injury setback and is expected to miss Game 5. This comes as a huge blow to the Panthers, who were looking to take the lead in the series for the first time. Earlier, the Maple Leafs’ defenseman, Ekman-Larsson, received a five-minute major penalty, which was reduced to a two-minute interference minor upon review.

As reported by NHL insider Chris Johnston, “Evan Rodrigues is out for Game 5, per Paul Maurice. He’ll be replaced by Jesper Boqvist.”

Rodrigues has been a key center for the Panthers, especially going by his current form. He has scored 15 goals and 17 assists this season, and the Panthers will simply have to make do without him for the next game. But the Panthers are no strangers to losing out on important players after Matthew Tkachuk’s lengthy injury absence and Aaron Ekblad’s equally lengthy suspension, with a 2-game suspension in round 1 to cap things off. But nonetheless, a missing player is a disadvantage no matter how often it happens, and naturally fans were not pleased with the Leafs for taking out one of their own at such a crucial juncture in the series where the Panthers have the opportunity to steal a lead.

Panthers fans vent their frustration over Evan Rodrigues’ injury

Apart from Rodrigues, there were multiple incidents where the Maple Leafs players came out hard against their opponents. While Max Domi’s hit on Aleksander Barkov was among the ones, the Panthers fans cried foul and slammed the opposition. One of the fans said, “Dirty #Leafs Forever intentionally injuring Florida players. Disgusting and pathetic.” It’s a slightly ironic comment considering that that’s the reputation the Panthers often have. Nonetheless, it’s never fun to feel like your team is bearing the brunt of the aggression unpunished.

However, when Rodrigues was taken off in Game 4, some Leafs fans felt that he was faking an injury. After the news about his absence from game 5 was made public, the Panthers fans slammed those fake injury reports, saying, “But those Leafs fans who thought he faked an injury…” The Panthers fans came down heavily on their opponents, who felt that Rodrigues wasn’t actually injured. Similarly, one of the fans couldn’t believe that Rodrigues was to miss the next game. The fan wrote, “This can’t be right, I was assured by leafs fans he was faking it.” 

The feeling was shared by numerous Panthers fans, who found it tough to come to terms with Rodrigues’ absence.

Meanwhile, an X user appealed to the NHL to hold the Maple Leafs accountable for dirty tactics like injuring the opposition players. “Leafs need to stop getting a free pass as a league favorite and be held accountable! Soo dirty,” the fan said, as he slammed the Maple Leafs for injuring Rodrigues. Lastly, one fan had a contrasting opinion on Rodrigues’ injury. They wrote, “He hurt himself diving too hard in game 4.” However, the contact was from Ekman-Larsson, after which Rodrigues fell on the ice.

With Rodrigues set to miss Game 5, he will be replaced by Jesper Boqvist in the heart of the Panthers’ lineup. Who are you betting on to win game 5 of this thrilling series between the Maple Leafs and the Panthers? Let us know your views in the comments below.