![]() "Ultimately, the outcome is the same, which is very disappointing." ![]() "Because the feeling is the same, the outcome is the same, whether or not there's differences or more positives or whatever, it's going to take some time to figure that out," Rielly said of if this sixth straight series loss. Toronto's new generation of stars made the post-season for the first time in 2017, but has since suffered a string of heartbreak that continued Saturday. The Leafs didn't make the playoffs again until 2013 when they collapsed in Game 7 against the Boston Bruins. Toronto's last Game 7 at home with fans - the club's 2021 loss against Montreal was played in front of 550 health-care workers because of COVID-19 restrictions - was all the way back in 2004 when Joe Nieuwendyk scored twice to oust the Ottawa Senators for the team's last series win. "Yet lots of reasons to be devastated and upset." "Lots of reasons to be proud," Keefe said. The Leafs, however, just couldn't find a way through with Campbell on the bench for an extra attacker. Toronto continued to press inside an anxious, tension-filled rink as the clock ticked down. Vasilevskiy was under siege throughout a Leafs' power play just over six minutes into the third, but kept the home side at bay despite some furious pressure. We stuck together." Mixed emotions following loss "To come in and work as hard as we did, there was no doubt in our game. "The electricity in this building was nuts," said the native of Mississauga, Ont. Paul scored his second of the night - and second ever in the playoffs - moments later with 3:28 remaining in the period on a terrific play where he kicked the puck from his skate to his stick. William Nylander then missed high on a breakaway before the Tampa goaltender robbed Matthews with the Leafs buzzing. SERIES TIED 3-3 Point pots OT winner as Bolts beat Maple Leafs to force series finale in Toronto you just move on and you just gotta get over that hump." Missed chances, goal called offĭown 1-0 after 20 minutes Saturday, the Leafs appeared to tie the game at 11:28 of the second when Tavares roofed a shot on Vasilevskiy, but the goal was disallowed after Toronto defenceman Justin Holl was whistled for interference.Ĭampbell had to make a couple of desperation stops on the ensuing penalty kill to set the stage for Rielly's equalizer off set-up from Marner and Matthews to score his third of the playoffs at 6:35 to send the crowd of 19,316 into a chaotic frenzy. "A great hockey team," he said of the Leafs. Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said the series was one of the toughest his club has faced over the last three playoffs. "And we're right there standing with them." But I don't know if you can debate anything that you give the Tampa Bay Lightning, and who they are and what they stand for and what they've accomplished. "You can debate the merits of any sort of credit that you might want to give our team. ![]() "This one hurts more because this was a really good team that really played hard," Keefe said. There's unlikely to be any such qualms in 2022. Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe was behind the bench for the 2020 post-season loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the bubble and a seven-game collapse against the Montreal Canadiens last spring after building a 3-1 lead - a pair of series where the group's character was called into question by fans and media alike. "We're getting sick and tired feeling like this," Toronto winger Mitch Marner said. Jack Campbell stopped 23 shots.ĭespite their best efforts, the Leafs were once again unable to push through and finally flip an long, ugly narrative of playoff failures for a franchise that has now lost its last seven series, including six straight dating back to 2017. ![]() Morgan Rielly replied for Toronto, which hasn't moved onto the second round in 18 years and is 0-9 in games where it can eliminate an opponent over the last five post-seasons. we're right there." 'Getting sick and tired of feeling like this' "And they've climbed the way to the top two years in a row. "They've been through a lot of tough losses, heartbreak," Matthews added. Toronto had Tampa Bay, which will now meet the Presidents' Trophy-winning Florida Panthers in the next round, on the ropes in Thursday's Game 6 before the Lightning, as they so often have during their consecutive title runs, found a way to punch back.
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