Unlucky 7: Lightning eliminate Maple Leafs from NHL playoffs

One of the greatest regular seasons in Toronto Maple Leafs history has come to an end in disappointing fashion.

The Maple Leafs fell 2-1 to the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 7 Saturday, extending a woeful streak of clinching-game losses and sending Toronto into an off-season full of questions.

Nick Paul, a longtime Ottawa Senator, was the hero for the Lightning — scoring his first two career playoff goals in the contest. Morgan Rielly was the only goal scorer for the Maple Leafs.

The loss marks the sixth-straight season the Maple Leafs have failed to win a round in the playoffs with their current core of stars, with the past five losses coming in winner-take-all final games. But this one will hurt just a little more after Auston Matthews scored 60 goals and the team set a franchise record with 54 wins during the regular season.

The Maple Leafs are the first team in MLB/NBA/NHL history to lose a winner-take-all game in the opening round of the playoffs 5 years in a row.

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) May 15, 2022

Down 1-0 after 20 minutes Saturday, the Leafs appeared to tie the game at 11:28 of the second when John Tavares roofed a shot on Vasilevskiy, but the goal was waved off after Toronto defenceman Justin Holl was whistled for interference.

Campbell had to make a couple of desperation stops on the ensuing penalty kill to set the stage for Rielly’s equalizer off a setup from Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews to score his third of the playoffs at 6:35 to send the crowd of 19,316 into a chaotic frenzy.

The goal was the first surrendered by Vasilevskiy and the Lightning in their last six series-deciding games.

But Paul scored his second of the night with 3:28 remaining in the period on a terrific play where he kicked the puck from his skate to his stick.

Tampa nearly made it 3-1 late in the period when Kucherov hit Campbell’s post from the slot.

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.

The Leafs, however, just couldn’t find a way through with Campbell on the bench for an extra attack to complete another chapter of playoff disappointment.

Toronto is now 7-3 all-time at home in Game 7s, including a loss at Scotiabank Arena last season after blowing a 3-1 series lead against the Montreal Canadiens.

With the win, the Lightning will now continue their title defence again state-rival the Florida Panthers, who eliminated the Washington Capitals in six games in Round 1.