Winning in the first round doesn’t change the world…
…
There’s no “but”, no “except that”.
In the end, Toronto’s euphoria after the Maple Leafs eliminated the Lightning in the first round was short-lived. Although they managed to survive Game #4, the Leafs conceded a fourth win in five games to the Panthers, who thus advance to the Eastern Final.
This means that the Toronto organization still has only one win in 19 years, in the second round.
If they don’t lose in the first round again, this will be a cause for rejoicing for Canadiens fans and Leafs fans alike.
We can’t say they dropped the ball, forcing overtime in Game 5.
Toronto had to play catch-up field hockey for most of the game, as Aaron Ekblad opened the scoring 3 minutes 30 seconds into the first period.
Ekblad quiets the crowd early in Game 5. 🤫 pic.twitter.com/Z1iIC9Ogjs
– Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 12, 2023
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Carter Verhaeghe’s fifth goal of the series (a rocket on a catch) didn’t help, late in the first twenty.
Verhaeghe with a rocket! 🚀
Carter wires one past Woll to double the Panthers lead in the first period. pic.twitter.com/XPx8ufO1lh
– Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 12, 2023
It was in the second period that Morgan Rielly brought his team back with a favorable leap in front of the net, but it’s another sequence that will be the talk of the town, and haunt the Maple Leafs in the wake of this elimination.
Rielly cut in front of the net and sent the puck under Sergei Bobrovsky’s pad, which appeared to have penetrated the net… without any concrete evidence.
There was no angle to confirm this, and the on-ice decision to disallow the goal was upheld after a lengthy review.
NO GOAL! ❌
Morgan Rielly jams the puck on the net, but it is called no goal and confirmed after a video review by the Situation Room in Toronto. pic.twitter.com/zgoSte9fU7
– Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 13, 2023
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We agree that the puck was probably in the net. But not clearly enough. Hard to swallow for the Toronto players…
Fortunately for his team, the stars took matters into their own hands with 5 minutes left in the third period. Mitch Marner found William Nylander, who beat Sergei Bobrovsky over his shoulder to tie the game.
Once again, never put William Nylander in the “big money, doesn’t deliver” bucket with this group. Constantly comes to play in these big games, and not to mention isn’t in the same income bracket anyway. pic.twitter.com/2IyLpPfMwH
– Jeff Veillette (@JeffVeillette) May 13, 2023
After a thrilling overtime period, a failed Leafs overtime leads to a Panthers overtime. The big Radko Gudas puts pressure on 3-on-2 and allows Nick Cousins to put an end to the debate and send his team to the Eastern Final.
NICK COUSINS CALLED GAME!! 😤 #StanleyCup
Nick Cousins(@Cous27) sends the @FlaPanthers to the Conference Finals with his overtime winner!! pic.twitter.com/kcozZIcGmj
– NHL (@NHL) May 13, 2023
So it’s an Eastern Final Panthers vs Hurricanes – the first time Florida has been there since 1996.
The Canadiens’ pick will be AT MINIMUM 29th
The bad news for the Habs is that the Panthers will be awarded the 29th pick, at minimum, in the upcoming draft. As of today, the CH’s pick is down 12 spots.
The pick will be 29th if they lose in the third round, 31st if they lose in the finals, and 32nd if they win.
Extension
– The end of Matthews in Toronto?
Well, rough series: 0 pts in the last 3 games.https://t.co/m5zWxT7XaS
– NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) May 13, 2023
– Crazy.
A golden goal from Nick Cousins and 51 saves from Sergei Bobrovsky.
The lives we lead, eh…
– Simon-Olivier Lorange (@SO_Lorange) May 13, 2023
– Headaches ahead.
Toronto Maple #LeafsForever enter the off-season with:
$8.3M in cap space with a roster of 17
3x 2023 draft picks (1st [BOS], 5th, 6th)RFAs:
Samsonov
Mete
HolmbergUFAs:
Kerfoot
O’Reilly
Kampf
Acciari
Bunting
Simmonds
Aston-Reese
Holl
Schenn
Gustafssonhttps://t.co/60tsQFv5kD– CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) May 13, 2023
– He was smoking.
Auston Matthews spent a long while consoling Joseph Woll after that loss.
– Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) May 13, 2023