The Toronto Maple Leafs season again ended suddenly in a Game 7 in Boston. For the fourth time in 11 years, the Boston Bruins eliminated their Original Six rival in a deciding game.
David Pastrnak scored the game-winner less than two minutes into the extra period on a diagonal dump-in from defenseman Hampus Lindholm.
A perfect bounce ricocheted onto the stick of the Bruins’ best goal-scorer who was streaking down the right wing. He quickly deked a surprised Ilya Samsonov in the Leafs net. Samsonov hesitated to play the puck, allowing Pastrnak time and room to make his move.
That set off a celebration at TD Garden as the Bruins moved on to face the Florida Panthers in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
For the Leafs, it’s another heartbreaking gut punch to the team and their fans. It was their sixth straight Game 7 loss, with four of them at the hands of the Bruins. Speculation will immediately turn to changes around the Leafs roster and coaching.
The Leafs received good news before Game 7 started: Rocket Richard winner, and Lady Byng nominee, Auston Matthews, would be in the lineup.
Unfortunately, goaltender Joseph Woll, who backstopped the Leafs to wins in Games 5 and 6, would not dress because of an injury in the previous game.
For a team that played with 13 different defensemen and four goalies throughout the year, and won the previous two games without Matthews, it was business as usual.
The Leafs withstood a better start by the Bruins and came out of the first period in a scoreless tie. Toronto carried the play during the second period, but the game remained tied 0-0 after two.