Toronto Maple Leafs

2022 - 5 - 12

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Image courtesy of "Pension Plan Puppets"

Toronto Maple Leafs fall in overtime, set up game seven Saturday (Pension Plan Puppets)

The Tampa Bay Lightning haven't lost back to back playoff games since they were swept by the Columbus Blue Jackets in round one in 2019.

Brayden Point takes a long skate around the net, luring the Leafs defense out of position. Missed passes, easy poke checks, thankfully Jack Campbell is still on top of his game. The teams come out buzzing to start the extra frame, not missing a step from the first 60 minutes. Hiding from the outcomes of shots, covering eyes, watching every stride without blinking, holding their breath on a rush. I get nervously happy when the Leafs get a chance. I get scared as the Lightning come in. Save after save that gets the Lightning fans on their feet. The Lightning come right back in and there’s a huge scramble in front of the net. They don’t, Campbell does the work, but when the Leafs get the puck they rush in, but are usually playing the perimeter more, passing around and taking far out shots. The Lightning take control of the game, continuing to make Jack Campbell works, getting up close to the net and scaring me a bit that they’re going to score first. One from the Leafs. The game started and we went two minutes without a shot on or at the net.

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Image courtesy of "NHL.com"

3 Keys: Maple Leafs at Lightning, Game 6 of Eastern First Round (NHL.com)

The Tampa Bay Lightning seek to avoid elimination from the Stanley Cup Playoffs when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference ...

The Maple Leafs and Lightning have alternated wins for each of the first five games. In this series, however, Vasilevskiy hasn't given up fewer than three goals in any of the first five games. "Obviously getting clean looks has been a challenge," Keefe said. "You have to focus on the things you've done well in the series. "Forget about the past, it's all about today," Lightning center Nick Paul said. You have to focus on continuing to get better.

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Image courtesy of "New York Post"

Brayden Point, Lightning win OT thriller, force Game 7 vs. Maple Leafs (New York Post)

Brayden Point scored at 18:04 in overtime and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 Thursday night to force a Game 7.

“We had plenty of opportunities to finish the game and finish the series,” Keefe said. The Lightning, meanwhile, faced elimination in a series for just the second time over the past three postseasons. Tavares’ hard shot from the left circle deflected off Vasilevskiy’s pad and up over the Lightning goaltender to tie it at 2. Matthews cut into the deficit with his fourth goal of the series. “We just want to get it done.” “Look forward to the opportunity.

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Toronto Maple Leafs Once Again Fail to Close Out a Series (Editor In Leaf)

The craziest thing about Game 6 was the fact that Toronto played an amazing game. John Tavares was buzzing, Auston Matthews scored on the road and Jack Campbell ...

Why am I, like the millions of other Leafs fans, investing so much stupid time into this team thinking that the outcome is going to change? They had a 3-2 lead in the third period of Game 6 and they couldn’t get that done. How am I realistically suppose to think that the Toronto Maple Leafs are going to win a Game 7.

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Toronto Maple Leafs players decline to comment when asked about ... (ESPN)

Maple Leafs players opted to keep quiet after several controversial calls went against them in Game 6 against the Lightning on Thursday night.

"What's in the past is in the past. But it was what the Leafs didn't say off the ice that did most of the talking. Brayden Point came through with the game winner to give Tampa Bay a 4-3 win and force Game 7 in Toronto on Saturday.

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Point scores in OT, Lightning-Maple Leafs head to Game 7 (WJXT News4JAX)

Brayden Point scored on a rebound with 1:56 remaining in the first overtime to give the Tampa Bay Lightning a 4-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs and ...

The Lightning, meanwhile, faced elimination in a series for just the second time over the past three postseasons. He finished the regular season with a franchise-record 60 goals, capturing the Rocket Richard Trophy for the second straight year. Jack Campbell stopped 32 of 36 shots for the Maple Leafs, who are chasing their first playoff series win in 18 years.

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Maple Leafs report cards: Lightning come from behind for overtime ... (The Athletic)

It had to be Matthews who put the Leafs back into the game with his tip-in goal in the second period (hardest play to pull off in sports, as loyal report cards ...

Since 2013, the Leafs are now 0-9 when they have had a chance to win a playoff round. The physicality that can be a difference-maker for the Leafs was not evident, either. After it looked like Spezza scored the tying goal, he ended up getting an assist. I’d like to give him the benefit of the doubt as it’s entirely possible he might not be at full health, and he is playing limited minutes. There were some decent efforts from Lyubushkin to neutralize Steven Stamkos as the Lightning forward charged into the Leafs’ zone. Some heads-up work with Bunting’s stick forced a turnover in the neutral zone and a shot on goal shortly afterward. He earned the primary assist on the play. The Leafs needed composure up and down the lineup in a pivotal game, and they got it from Giordano. I thought his anticipation during the Leafs’ push toward the end of the third period was notable. Marner continually read the play well in the neutral and defensive zones, picking off passes. One of the most talented Leafs made consistent efforts to try and break the game wide open offensively, darting through multiple Lightning players to take the puck to the net. And with Brayden Point’s overtime goal to seal a 4-3 win, this insanely entertaining series will indeed go to seven games.

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Maple Leafs vs. Lightning final score, result: Brayden Point scores ... (Sporting News)

Can the Lightning live to see another day, or will the Maple Leafs close out their first playoff series win since 2004?

8:58 p.m.: GOAL! Auston Matthews gets the Maple Leafs on the board. 8:11 p.m.: GOAL! Ondrej Palat takes advantage of a neutral zone turnover by the Leafs, comes in on the right side and beats Campbell clean under the blocker. 8:15 p.m.: Scramble in front of the Leafs' net with around30 seconds left, but Campbell comes up with a couple big saves. 9:13 p.m.: GOAL! The Leafs tie the game up with 34 seconds left in the second. On the other end, Campbell handles a shot through traffic by Ryan McDonagh 9:17 p.m.: Just like that the Maple Leafs have the lead heading into the third. 8:25 left in the second. Right off an offensive zone faceoff, Giordano fires a shot on net and Matthews deflects the puck by Vasilevskiy with a sensational tip. Alexander Kerfoot tries to beat Vasilevskiy under his arm, but the Lightning goaltender swallows it up. Huge goal for the Leafs who have been the better third period team in this series. Tampa Bay capitalizes on the 5 on 3. Tampa Bay controlling play early and throwing everything at the Toronto keeper.

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Lightning stun Maple Leafs to force Game 7 with OT win (NHL)

The Tampa Bay Lightning stunned the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night to force a Game 7 in their First Round series thanks to a Brayden Point goal.

For a while it seemed like they had the game locked down. They were 10 minutes away on Thursday night from finally slaying their postseason demons, knocking out the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning, and advancing to the Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in 18 years. The Toronto Maple Leafs, with a chance to close out an opponent, failing to do so and having to play another winner-take-all Game 7.

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