Florida Panthers Called Out by Toronto Maple Leafs Reporter for Pitiful Attendance

Last night, the Toronto Maple Leafs played against the Florida Panthers in what was a very important game for the Atlantic Division standings.

The Leafs had an opportunity to maintain their lead on the Tampa Bay Lightning, although they ended up losing in regulation by a score of 3-1 which allowed the Panthers and Lightning to gain on them.

Prior to the game, however, reporter Luke Fox of Sportsnet noticed something reflects poorly on the Florida Panthers and their fans.

Minutes before puck drop, Fox noticed that the arena was practically empty, with chunks of seats not being filled out by Panthers fans or even Leafs fans.

In the past, Leafs fans used to make the trip to Florida for these games, but this time around, things were different. There are a few reasons why that might be the case, but the Panthers shouldn't have to rely on visiting fans.

While the arena did fill out a little bit, there is no doubt that poor attendance towards the playoffs is a bit concerning.

According to the NHL, the Florida Panthers are 13th in average attendance this season which isn't bad at all considering where the team used to be.

19,181 fans attend every single game and they are 99.5 percent sold out of these games. That said, sold tickets and real attendance are two different things.

The Playoffs are around the corner and with a first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning on the horizon, we're sure the fans will start coming around.

Until then, the Panthers will just have to buckle down and fight as they look to win the Atlantic Division despite a four-point deficit with just a few games to go.