Tampa Bay Lightning

The first four games between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning were lopsided, but the series is tied. Which team has the edge entering Game 5?

On the Lightning’s side, they are still waiting on players like Brayden Point and captain Steven Stamkos, who have only two points each in this series, to get going. With a 2-2 matchup, each game and each moment now become amplified and more intense. Momentum does not appear to carry much weight in this series, as the teams have alternated wins.

The Toronto Maple Leafs learned a valuable lesson during a Game 4 loss to the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning.

Toronto fought 82 regular-season games to stay in front of Tampa Bay and secure home-ice advantage for at least the first round. Kevin has spent countless hours in arenas throughout the country watching all levels of the game. There is always a scapegoat, and it seems the ire of Leafs’ fans has fallen directly on the captain. Contrary to what the doomsday naysayers are crying about between burning jerseys, a split in Tampa Bay is a victory. That’s about the only positive to take away from a 7-3 thrashing by the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 4. Not only did Tampa Bay take a commanding three-goal lead, but the third goal was scored by Patrick Maroon, who made a few Leafs look ridiculous.

John Tavares has yet to register a point at 5-on-5 in Toronto's first-round playoff series with Tampa Bay, which sits tied 2-2 following Sunday's 7-3 blowout loss at the hands of the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions at Amalie Arena. Not including ...

"It's been pretty tight," Toronto defenceman Jake Muzzin said of the officiating standard compared to past post-seasons. "I haven't been able to produce offensively as I'd like," he said in the wake of that ugly defeat. "Just know the way we've played for many stretches throughout this series, even for parts of (Game 4), and certainly mostly in the games that we've won," he said. That allows us to really get our game going and get them chasing. John Tavares has yet to register a point at 5-on-5 in Toronto's first-round playoff series with Tampa Bay, which sits tied 2-2 following Sunday's 7-3 blowout loss at the hands of the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions at Amalie Arena. "Our level of execution and detail needs to be strong through that to break through that pressure.

The Toronto Maple Leafs host the Tampa Bay Lightning in game five of the first round of the NHL Playoffs with the series tied 2-2.

The Lightning have gone 23-5-2 in games they convert at least one power play. The Lightning won 7-3 in the last meeting. Ross Colton led the Lightning with two goals. BOTTOM LINE: The Tampa Bay Lightning visit the Toronto Maple Leafs for game five of the first round of the NHL Playoffs with the series tied 2-2. The Maple Leafs have a 23-4-1 record in games they convert at least one power play. Toronto Maple Leafs (54-21-7, second in the Atlantic Division)

Game 5 of the first-round playoff series will be held on Tuesday night, May 10th in Toronto. Editorial credit: Baka Sobaka / Shutterstock.com ...

Curtis McElhinney knows a thing or two about playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Tampa Bay Lightning.

What’s interesting is that McElhinney has seen Tampa slay its own demons in the way the Leafs hope to now. “That core group certainly had a chip on their shoulder heading into the (2020) bubble. Auston and Mitch have really just gone to another level,” said McElhinney. “But now it’s about allowing that team to get over that hump. This is a great opportunity for that talented Leafs core to change the narrative. And really went to another level,’’ McElhinney said of the 2020 Conn Smythe Trophy winner. You’ve got three games, win two of them and you’re going to the second round which is what they’ve been dying for the last few years.’’ “I think that would be a huge sigh of relief for that team. But the expectation was like ‘OK great we’re in the playoffs.’ That was Step 1. If we got past that in the years I was there, it would have just been a bonus. But at the time, it was also expected for a young, growing Leafs team. It’s not like you can just block it out in a city like that. McElhinney was also the backup in Tampa Bay for back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in ’20 and ’21.

Besides Game 3 where the Tampa Bay Lightning made a late-game push, the Maple Leafs and Bolts have equally dominated and struggled in the series.