Keefe: Maple Leafs' lopsided loss vs. Panthers was 'a good slap in the face'

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe hopes his club's embarrassing loss to the Florida Panthers on Sunday serves as a wake-up call.

"You take it as what it is, which is a good slap in the face and a good reminder of how we can't play if we have any intention at all of being a successful team," Keefe said following the 8-4 defeat, according to TSN's Mark Masters.

The Panthers jumped on the Leafs for three goals in the opening period and chased goaltender Frederik Andersen just 49 seconds into the second frame after beating the Dane four times on 12 shots.

"We're leaving our goalie out to dry on multiple goals tonight," forward Mitch Marner said, according to Masters. "It's so unfair to them and we got to be way better."

Marner continued: "Right off the start there, off the bat, we're giving their best players walk-ins to the net and it's unacceptable."

With the loss, Toronto has dropped three straight games under Keefe for the first time, conceding a combined 18 goals over that span.

The Maple Leafs surrendered eight goals in a game for the first time since a 9-2 drubbing against the Nashville Predators in November 2014.

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