The streak is over! For nearly two decades, the Toronto Maple Leafs were the eternal meme of the NHL. They would make the playoffs almost every time, only to lose in the first round over and over again. Whether they were the favorites or the underdogs, they were unable to break this curse. Now, the team has finally broken this streak after knocking out the Tampa Bay Lightning. After the game, forward Mitch Marner talked about the emotions surrounding the Maple Leafs after this historic win.
“It was a little bit of a relief, for sure,” Toronto forward Mitchell Marner said. “Just to be able to get that done, but got to make sure we are ready because it just gets harder and harder.”
The Maple Leafs were the epitome of chokers for most of the last two decades. They would consistently perform above-average in the regular season, only to let down their fans in the playoffs. They became the punching bag for jokes in the NHL, with other fans constantly laughing at Toronto's failures.
2023 seemed to be more of the same for the Maple Leafs as they were up against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tampa Bay wasn't at peak form, but their past three seasons speak volumes to their pedigree. Even as the “favorites”, not many were confident in Toronto's ability to close out the series. A horrible Game 1 loss seemed to be the start of a familiar refrain for Toronto fans.
In Game 6, though, the Maple Leafs finally broke through. Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy did his best efforts, but the only two shots he allowed proved to be the difference. Fittingly, it was Toronto captain (and Canada native) John Tavares that sent the team to the second round, scoring against Vasilevskiy in the waning moments to get the W. The Maple Leafs will now face the winner of the Bruins-Panthers matchup in the NHL Playoffs.
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