TORONTO –
Nick Paul scored twice, including an incredible individual effort against the winner late in the second period as the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Toronto Maple leaves 2-1 in Game 7 on Saturday to win their first round playoff series 4-3.
Andrei Vasilevskiy made 30 saves for the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion.
Morgan Rielly answered for Toronto, who haven’t advanced to the second round since 2004 and are now 9-0 in elimination games in their last five postseasons after also losing Game 6 4-3 in Tampa two nights earlier.
Jack Campbell stopped 23 shots.
Despite all the efforts that leaves were once again unable to enforce and eventually turn around a long, ugly narrative of playoff failures for a franchise that has now lost its last seven series, including six straight series from 2017.
Toronto is now 7-3 all-time at home in Game 7, including a loss at Scotiabank Arena last season after squandering a 3-1 lead against the Montreal Canadiens.
0: 1 after 20 minutes on Saturday, the leaves seemed to level the game at 11:28 of the second when John Tavares thought over a shot at Vasilevskiy, but the goal was waved off after Toronto defender Justin Holl was called off for interference.
Campbell had to make a few desperate stops in the ensuing penalty shootout to set the stage for Rielly’s equalizer after a setup from Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews to make his third of the playoffs at 6:35 to send the 19,316 crowd into chaos to put frenzy.
The goal was the first Vasilevskiy and the Lightning have given up in their last six series-winning games.
William Nylander then missed a high breakaway and the Tampa keeper robbed Matthews with the leaves To hum.
But Paul scored his second goal of the night – and his second all of the playoffs – with 3:28 left in a great game, kicking the puck off his skate and onto his racquet.
Tampa almost made it 3-1 late in the period when Kucherov hit Campbell’s post from the slot.
Vasilevskiy was besieged during a leaves‘ Power play just over six minutes into the third minute but kept the home side at bay despite intense pressure.
Toronto continued to push into an anxious, tense rink as the clock ticked down.
That leaveshowever, with Campbell on the bench, simply couldn’t find a way to close another chapter of playoff disappointment with an extra attack.
Both teams had great opportunities for early breakthroughs, but Vasilevskiy and Campbell were there at every turn.
Tavares almost botched the goal after a huge close-range chance when Vasilevskiy shot out his left pad before 2019 Vezina Trophy winner Marner failed.
Campbell then held the fort in a Lightning power play with some great looks for the visitors.
Brayden Point, who scored the winner in Tampa’s Game 6 to extend the series, was injured late in the first when his right leg was trapped underneath him as he fell to the ice. The winger – in agony walking through the tunnel to the dressing room – tried to return for the second half but turned her off after a short shift.
The Lightning went 1-0 up after Point went down in the first game as Paul, who had a number of chances with his team in the lead in Game 5 before Toronto roared back, scored his first goal.
Campbell made the first stop on Ross Colton’s one-timer from the rush, which nodded Rielly’s stick, but the rebound fell to Paul at 1:36 as Toronto gave up the first goal for a fourth straight game.
The Lightning were playing just their second Game 7 since the start of the 2020 playoffs after beating the New York Islanders 1-0 at home in the semifinals last June.
Toronto’s last game 7 at home with fans – the club’s 2021 loss to Montreal was played in front of 550 healthcare workers due to COVID-19 restrictions – since 2004 when Joe Nieuwendyk scored twice to oust Ottawa Senators.
That leaves didn’t make the playoffs again until 2013, when they lost in Game 7 to the Boston Bruins. The club’s new generation reached the playoffs for the first time in 2017 but suffered a series of heartaches that lingered on Saturday night.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on May 14, 2022.
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