The Toronto Maple Leafs had their best team in years, but they still were unable to shake a difficult streak that has been plaguing them.
The Leafs lost 2-1 to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference first round playoff series. The heartbreaking Game 7 loss means Toronto still has not won a playoff series since 2004.
The thing is, these Leafs are nowhere near the inept squad from 2006-2016 that only made the playoffs once.
This team went 54-21 with 7 overtime losses. Auston Matthews had a 60-goal season. They had seven players with over 50 points, including Mitch Marner with 97 and William Nylander with 80. But on Saturday, the Leafs fell behind 1-0, tied things up in the second, and they were unable to answer Nick Paul’s winning goal for the Lightning.
Toronto also had a goal waved off due to an interference penalty.
Making matters even worse, Toronto led 3-2 in the series before losing Game 6 in overtime in Tampa. Then they lost the heartbreaking Game 7 at home to continue their inability to close things out.
The Maple Leafs have now lost 10 straight opportunities to clinch a series, dating back to Game 7 of the 2004 Conference Quarterfinals.
Only the Jets/Coyotes from 1990-2012 have lost more consecutive series-clinching games in NHL history (13). pic.twitter.com/ycg50wNwxl
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 15, 2022
Though the Leafs were unable to pull things out against the two-time defending champs, everyone seems to recognize they’re headed in the right direction.
Victor Hedman on the Leafs: “Unbelievable team … Close series… they’re a great group. They’re going to get another chance at this. They’re going to go a long ways in the future.”
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) May 15, 2022
Stamkos on the Leafs: “it’s a great hockey team. No doubt. They’ve got all the pieces. It’s just not easy at this time of year … that’s one of the toughest series we’ve played … they have everything. It’s just, we have everything, too… we believe in this group.”
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) May 15, 2022
Still, the long streak of difficult losses continues for Toronto fans.
20,102 days since a Cup.
6,699 days since winning a playoff series.
812 days since losing to an AHL Zamboni driver.#LeafsForever
— Since Leafs Last Cup (@LeafsIastCup) May 15, 2022
The Leafs feel like they are getting all that much closer to finally breaking through. Maybe next year.
