seventieslord
Student Of The Game
Some of the most memorable Leafs playoff games of the past 30 years have been the exact situation they found themselves in last night - going into game 6 with a chance to close out a series and avoid a game 7. I've been there for all of these games and for anyone interested, here is a summary of what transpired:
1993, Round 2, vs. St. Louis Blues. What a memorable series this had already been! The Leafs were trying to take game 6 to finally get some rest for the first time this postseason. Curtis Joseph had been the Blues' undisputed MVP this series. Sure, the Leafs had put 14 past him in 5 games, but it had taken 221 shots and six powerplay goals. Joseph's .937 sv% this series drawfed his league-leading regular season number of .911. Joseph had held St. Louis in long enough for them to finally win an epic double overtime game 2, and it took The Goal Of Our Lives by Gilmour in double overtime to finally beat him in a super-tight opening game.
Andreychuk snuck one in before the 2-minute mark had even been reached, and then the Leafs sat on that lead for most of the game. CuJo made up for an uncharacteristically weak goal by holding the Leafs at bay for the rest of the game. He made some key saves on Gilmour, Anderson, Foligno & Krushelnyski. Potvin was finally beaten 3 minutes into the 3rd by Dave Lowry, and the Blues followed up with a Muzzin-esque seeing-eye shot by Jeff Brown, who, along with the game two 2OT winner, had now scored the two biggest back-breakers for the Blues in this series. This game was also memorable for a devastating hit from Wendel Clark on Craig Janney against the Leafs' bench. Janney writhed in pain on the ice while he was attended to. The Leafs were unable to beat CuJo a second time. He stopped 40 of 41 to bring his series sv% to an unheard-of .943.
Of course, you know how this ends. Leafs get back home for game 7 and dominate the Blues start-to-finish in a 6-0 win, punctuated by Wendel knocking CuJo's helmet off with a rocket slapshot.
Home/Away: Away
Win/Loss: Loss
Score: 1-2
What Happened in Game 7: Win
Score: 6-0
1993, Round 3, vs. Los Angeles Kings. This is perhaps the most memorable game in all of Leafs' lore, going back at least 40 years. If you want to relive the memories of this series and game (and I'd understand if you don't), I recommend Damien Cox's book, The Last Good Year, which is exclusively about this story, focusing mainly on the on-ice happenings, and the backstories of a few key people.
What more can I say about this game that hasn't already been said? Leafs are down two goals in the third, they stage a dramatic third period comeback, culminating in Clark ripping a writer from the circle as he zoomed into the zone as the extra man, to complete a hat trick. Gretzky highsticks Gilmour, draws blood, no call, Anderson takes a penalty, Leafs start overtime on the penalty kill, guess who scores on the powerplay in overtime. Makes me sick just to think about it.
Home/Away: Away
Win/Loss: Loss
Score: 4-5
What Happened in Game 7: Loss
Score: 4-5
1994, Round 1, vs. Chicago Blackhawks. A little bit of a low-key series in Leafs lore, but not an insignificant one. Some memorable moments in this series included:
- Gill's game 2 overtime goal to break a 0-0 tie. Belfour's concerns about being interfered with by Clark were completely baseless.
- Roenick scoring the first of two career playoff overtime goals vs. the Leafs - the only player in the last 66 years who has two
- Potvin having three shutouts in the series, all by scores of 1-0. I don't know if this is the only time a goalie has done this, but I think it's very likely.
I wish I could say this game was really memorable for me. I was 12 and had my Catholic confirmation that night (ugh). I think it was the first leaf playoff game I didn't watch live and in full since 1990. We lived just 3 blocks from the church and after the ceremony, my dad raced home to get his camera. While inside retrieving it, his car was stolen. We had the game recording on VHS, but came home and turned on the TV to see them interviewing Potvin with a towel around his shoulders. Spoiled all the suspense. I think I watched it after, but there was probably a lot of fast-forwarding and I can't even remember what Gartner's series-winning 1st period goal looked like.
Home/Away: Away
Win/Loss: Win
Score: 1-0
1999, Round 1, vs. Philadelphia Flyers. A very memorable series in which the Leafs were outscored 11-9 but won in six games. Looking back, I find this series fascinating because Philly was a veteran team who had been to the 1997 finals, and the Leafs were just emerging from a rebuild/retool, and were a young, small, and frankly, soft team. Over half of our forward minutes were played by Berezin, King, Johnson, Sullivan, Perreault, Modin and Warriner. A defense corps with only one warrior - Yushkevich, a warrior in training in Markov, and featuring significant minutes from the likes of Cote, Berard, rookie Kaberle and Karpovtsev had no business standing up to the Flyers in playoff hockey.
But somehow, this young, small, soft team gutted out a win against a big, tough, veteran team. It came down to timely goals for the Leafs - Sundin in the final minute of game 2, Perreault in overtime of game 5, and Berezin with under 2 minutes to go in game 6. Or, if you take the reverse approach, it was a lack of timely saves by Vanbiesbrouck throughout the series, while Joseph made many. How did the Flyers end up +2 in GD when they lost the series 4-2? When they won, they really left no doubt, while the Leafs hung on for four skin-of-their-teeth wins.
Game 6 was as memorable as it gets. A back and forth battle that somehow managed to stay 0-0. Flyers outshot the Leafs 26-20. In the second period, Bryan Berard, perhaps the worst defensive defenseman at the NHL level in the past 30 years, made the toe save of his life just inches from the goal line, with Cujo trapped behind the net sprawled out. Shooter was Mikael Andersson. Say what you will about Berard (and I will) but if he doesn't make that clutch save, there's no 1999 playoff run. It's over before it starts. I have the video recorded off of NHL Network's classic series, but I don't think it exists online. It was brilliant.
Of course, you know how it ends. John Leclair takes an elbowing penalty with just 2 minutes to go in the game. Near the end of that powerplay, Berezin snipes the 1-0 goal. Flyers throw everything they have at the Leafs for the last minute, but it's no use. As the buzzer sounded, my buddy jumped from the couch, pointed at the TV to where Keith Jones was standing in front of the net. "YES! EAT SHIT JONES!!!" Keith had been a pain in the ass all series. In the post-game scrums, John Leclair tells the media, "there's no way that's a penalty at that time in the game", showing how laughable player expectations for refereeing were at the time. He made a point of throwing out his elbow at a player's head! The contact he made was not vicious but he did make contact and it was clear he intended to do more. It was senseless. He could have pinned Johnson just with sheer size. Anyway, Ed Snider's rant was even better. I believe he got a sizeable fine for that one.
Fun side note: Toronto went on a semifinals run this year, five years after the last time. How many holdovers were there from that 1994 squad? Not. A. Single. One. Zero! A fun trivia question to ask your old Leafs fans buddies is, "name the two players who played for both the 93-94 and 98-99 Leafs." They are Potvin (who was traded mid-98-99) and Yanic Perreault (who was a minor league call-up in 93-94 and reacquired late in 98-99). This has to be some kind of record. Completely, 100% gut and rebuild your roster within 5 years, and you're a semifinalist both before and after. Even the 94-95 Leafs only had two holdovers to 98-99: Sundin and Domi.
Home/Away: Away
Win/Loss: Win
Score: 1-0
1999, Round 2, vs. Pittsburgh Penguins. This was not as fun and memorable as most series but it had its moments. Leafs had won games 2, 4 and 5 en route to a 3-2 series lead with a chance to clinch in Pittsburgh. The scoring in this game actually went exactly like game 5 vs. Tampa. 2 for them, 3 quick ones for us, they tie it, we score the winner.
Garry Valk scored a greasy one - just go to the net. Should be a lesson to all. To this date, this is still the last series-winning overtime goal the Leafs have scored. They've been eliminated in OT 3 times since: 2002, 2013, and 2017.
Who can forget Danny Markov saluting Jaromir Jagr as they celebrated the overtime win?
Home/Away: Away
Win/Loss: Win
Score: 4-3
2000, Round 1, vs. Ottawa Senators. This time we weren't just happy to be there. This felt like it could be a real playoff run. How did we get here? Leafs won games 1&2 fairly easily, Ottawa took 3&4 by one-goal margins, and in game 5 Ottawa held onto a 1-0 lead for half the game, until Stumpy Thomas (of course) tied it up with less than 5 minutes left. Then came the classic overtime goal. The one time Sergei Berezin ever passed!
All the real drama in this series had already happened. Ottawa scored twice early, but all the pressure was on them. Leafs methodically chipped away at the lead throughout the 2nd period, eventually taking a 4-2 lead on the last goal Wendel Clark would ever score for them.
Round 1 of the Battle of Ontario was in the books.
Home/Away: Away
Win/Loss: Win
Score: 4-2
2001, Round 2, vs. New Jersey Devils. It's hard to believe we actually had a 3-2 series lead on the bulletproof New Jersey Devils in this era. But it's true, we did! What a series this had been. And such a stark contrast to 2000, when they went out meekly in a 4-2 series loss in which they had just 117 shots and 9 goals. This time, they had 106 after just 5 games, to go with 15 goals! And who can forget the game 2 comeback? I worked till 3AM at Domino's but managed to avoid all news of the game and it was sure a wild ride watching it when I came home that night. I mean, who scores 4 goals on the 2001 New Jersey Devils? In one period???
Sadly, this series was also marked by one of the most boneheaded plays any of us had ever seen. I can name 20 dirtier plays off the top of my head, but in terms of sheer stupidity and how unnecessary it was, this may top the list. I'm talking, of course, about Tie Domi's attack on Scott Niedermayer. It seemed like Stevens (who was in the box) was the only person who saw it happen. He was flying around that penalty box like a wasp in a jar. I remember people saying, "look out, they've woken up the Devils", but a lot of people today forget that this happened in game 4, and the Leafs actually won game 5 without too much trouble (for a long time, I did!)
Unfortunately, the Leafs lost this one in a rather boring textbook Devils road win. Very little is memorable about this one. What really stands out about this series is the game 2 comeback, the Domi incident in game 4, Cory Cross completely undressing Brodeur in game 5 (video not available but I promise you it happened),and the unfortunate game 7 blowout.
Home/Away: Home
Win/Loss: Loss
Score: 2-4
What Happened in Game 7: Loss
Score: 1-5
2002, Round 1, vs. New York Islanders. This series was a war. I am pretty sure we lost to Carolina thanks to our inability to close this one out sooner. Game 6 was one culprit. Both teams had won their home games thus far, and the Leafs didn't know it yet, but they desperately needed to close this one out tonight. Just based on what we know now - how many more injuries would decimate their lineup, how long the ottawa series would take, etc.
Unfortunately, the Leafs didn't start on time, and were lucky to be tied 2-2 by the end of the first. However, by early in the 3rd it was 5-2, a deficit they did not have enough time. Of course, in game 7 they grinded out a win, like they should have, as the (far) superior team, but it was much too close.
this series was noteable for Tucker's low bridge hit on Peca (meh, overblown), Corson kicking Cairns (despicable), Shawn Bates scoring on a penalty shot (GFY) and the Steve Webb Show (bizarre!). For whatever reason, Webb, practically a nobody, became the Isles most important player in their home games, hitting everything that moved every time he was on the ice, generating a buzz in the home crowd the likes of which I have never seen since. Looking back, I can't believe he played just 48 minutes in that series. He really made them count. If the Leafs were not laden with the likes of Roberts, Tucker, Corson, McCabe, Belak and Domi, I think the Isles would have won this series on physicality alone.
Home/Away: Away
Win/Loss: Loss
Score: 3-5
What Happened in Game 7: Win
Score: 4-2
2004, Round 1, vs. Ottawa Senators. We're now on round 4 of the Battle of Ontario. Round 2 was a rout, round 3 was epic (but not for this thread). Leafs had taken games 2, 3 and 5, all by scores of 2-0 (that has to be a record, right??) to take a 3-2 series lead heading into game 6 in Ottawa.
This was a heartbreaker, as Chara scored to even the game at 1-1 midway through the 3rd. Then, in double OT, this happened.
No one likes to lose in double overtime. But as you know, Lalime made sure the leafs would have no problem taking game 7.
Home/Away: Away
Win/Loss: Loss
Score: 1-2
What Happened in Game 7: Win
Score: 4-1
2019, Round 1, vs. Boston Bruins. This one wasn't very long ago. We all remember it. With Boston on the ropes and the chance to deliver a knockout blow, the Leafs instead played one of their least-inspired games of the 14 against Boston. Outshot 41-24, it didn't really feel like this game was ever in doubt, even if the Leafs spent much of the 3rd period down by a single goal.
The next game was even worse, mind you. Gud thing Marleau played so much in the 3rd, though
Home/Away: Home
Win/Loss: Loss
Score: 2-4
What Happened in Game 7: Loss
Score: 1-5
2022, Round 1, vs. Tampa Bay Lightning. Garbage. Lost a game they so richly deserved to win. The wounds are still fresh, but I think years down the road, games 5 & 6 of the Tampa series will live on in Leafs fan lore as two of the most signficant we've ever seen.
Home/Away: Away
Win/Loss: Loss
Score: 3-4
What Happened in Game 7: TBD
Score: TBD
So, after winning 4 straight clinching game sixes between 1994 and 2000, the Leafs have now lost five straight since 2001. Is that relevant to today? No, not really. For example, 13 of the 19 players who lost the 2019 game aren't even here anymore.
Hope it was a good trip down memory lane. Took me quite a while.
1993, Round 2, vs. St. Louis Blues. What a memorable series this had already been! The Leafs were trying to take game 6 to finally get some rest for the first time this postseason. Curtis Joseph had been the Blues' undisputed MVP this series. Sure, the Leafs had put 14 past him in 5 games, but it had taken 221 shots and six powerplay goals. Joseph's .937 sv% this series drawfed his league-leading regular season number of .911. Joseph had held St. Louis in long enough for them to finally win an epic double overtime game 2, and it took The Goal Of Our Lives by Gilmour in double overtime to finally beat him in a super-tight opening game.
Andreychuk snuck one in before the 2-minute mark had even been reached, and then the Leafs sat on that lead for most of the game. CuJo made up for an uncharacteristically weak goal by holding the Leafs at bay for the rest of the game. He made some key saves on Gilmour, Anderson, Foligno & Krushelnyski. Potvin was finally beaten 3 minutes into the 3rd by Dave Lowry, and the Blues followed up with a Muzzin-esque seeing-eye shot by Jeff Brown, who, along with the game two 2OT winner, had now scored the two biggest back-breakers for the Blues in this series. This game was also memorable for a devastating hit from Wendel Clark on Craig Janney against the Leafs' bench. Janney writhed in pain on the ice while he was attended to. The Leafs were unable to beat CuJo a second time. He stopped 40 of 41 to bring his series sv% to an unheard-of .943.
Of course, you know how this ends. Leafs get back home for game 7 and dominate the Blues start-to-finish in a 6-0 win, punctuated by Wendel knocking CuJo's helmet off with a rocket slapshot.
Home/Away: Away
Win/Loss: Loss
Score: 1-2
What Happened in Game 7: Win
Score: 6-0
1993, Round 3, vs. Los Angeles Kings. This is perhaps the most memorable game in all of Leafs' lore, going back at least 40 years. If you want to relive the memories of this series and game (and I'd understand if you don't), I recommend Damien Cox's book, The Last Good Year, which is exclusively about this story, focusing mainly on the on-ice happenings, and the backstories of a few key people.
What more can I say about this game that hasn't already been said? Leafs are down two goals in the third, they stage a dramatic third period comeback, culminating in Clark ripping a writer from the circle as he zoomed into the zone as the extra man, to complete a hat trick. Gretzky highsticks Gilmour, draws blood, no call, Anderson takes a penalty, Leafs start overtime on the penalty kill, guess who scores on the powerplay in overtime. Makes me sick just to think about it.
Home/Away: Away
Win/Loss: Loss
Score: 4-5
What Happened in Game 7: Loss
Score: 4-5
1994, Round 1, vs. Chicago Blackhawks. A little bit of a low-key series in Leafs lore, but not an insignificant one. Some memorable moments in this series included:
- Gill's game 2 overtime goal to break a 0-0 tie. Belfour's concerns about being interfered with by Clark were completely baseless.
- Roenick scoring the first of two career playoff overtime goals vs. the Leafs - the only player in the last 66 years who has two
- Potvin having three shutouts in the series, all by scores of 1-0. I don't know if this is the only time a goalie has done this, but I think it's very likely.
I wish I could say this game was really memorable for me. I was 12 and had my Catholic confirmation that night (ugh). I think it was the first leaf playoff game I didn't watch live and in full since 1990. We lived just 3 blocks from the church and after the ceremony, my dad raced home to get his camera. While inside retrieving it, his car was stolen. We had the game recording on VHS, but came home and turned on the TV to see them interviewing Potvin with a towel around his shoulders. Spoiled all the suspense. I think I watched it after, but there was probably a lot of fast-forwarding and I can't even remember what Gartner's series-winning 1st period goal looked like.
Home/Away: Away
Win/Loss: Win
Score: 1-0
1999, Round 1, vs. Philadelphia Flyers. A very memorable series in which the Leafs were outscored 11-9 but won in six games. Looking back, I find this series fascinating because Philly was a veteran team who had been to the 1997 finals, and the Leafs were just emerging from a rebuild/retool, and were a young, small, and frankly, soft team. Over half of our forward minutes were played by Berezin, King, Johnson, Sullivan, Perreault, Modin and Warriner. A defense corps with only one warrior - Yushkevich, a warrior in training in Markov, and featuring significant minutes from the likes of Cote, Berard, rookie Kaberle and Karpovtsev had no business standing up to the Flyers in playoff hockey.
But somehow, this young, small, soft team gutted out a win against a big, tough, veteran team. It came down to timely goals for the Leafs - Sundin in the final minute of game 2, Perreault in overtime of game 5, and Berezin with under 2 minutes to go in game 6. Or, if you take the reverse approach, it was a lack of timely saves by Vanbiesbrouck throughout the series, while Joseph made many. How did the Flyers end up +2 in GD when they lost the series 4-2? When they won, they really left no doubt, while the Leafs hung on for four skin-of-their-teeth wins.
Game 6 was as memorable as it gets. A back and forth battle that somehow managed to stay 0-0. Flyers outshot the Leafs 26-20. In the second period, Bryan Berard, perhaps the worst defensive defenseman at the NHL level in the past 30 years, made the toe save of his life just inches from the goal line, with Cujo trapped behind the net sprawled out. Shooter was Mikael Andersson. Say what you will about Berard (and I will) but if he doesn't make that clutch save, there's no 1999 playoff run. It's over before it starts. I have the video recorded off of NHL Network's classic series, but I don't think it exists online. It was brilliant.
Of course, you know how it ends. John Leclair takes an elbowing penalty with just 2 minutes to go in the game. Near the end of that powerplay, Berezin snipes the 1-0 goal. Flyers throw everything they have at the Leafs for the last minute, but it's no use. As the buzzer sounded, my buddy jumped from the couch, pointed at the TV to where Keith Jones was standing in front of the net. "YES! EAT SHIT JONES!!!" Keith had been a pain in the ass all series. In the post-game scrums, John Leclair tells the media, "there's no way that's a penalty at that time in the game", showing how laughable player expectations for refereeing were at the time. He made a point of throwing out his elbow at a player's head! The contact he made was not vicious but he did make contact and it was clear he intended to do more. It was senseless. He could have pinned Johnson just with sheer size. Anyway, Ed Snider's rant was even better. I believe he got a sizeable fine for that one.
Fun side note: Toronto went on a semifinals run this year, five years after the last time. How many holdovers were there from that 1994 squad? Not. A. Single. One. Zero! A fun trivia question to ask your old Leafs fans buddies is, "name the two players who played for both the 93-94 and 98-99 Leafs." They are Potvin (who was traded mid-98-99) and Yanic Perreault (who was a minor league call-up in 93-94 and reacquired late in 98-99). This has to be some kind of record. Completely, 100% gut and rebuild your roster within 5 years, and you're a semifinalist both before and after. Even the 94-95 Leafs only had two holdovers to 98-99: Sundin and Domi.
Home/Away: Away
Win/Loss: Win
Score: 1-0
1999, Round 2, vs. Pittsburgh Penguins. This was not as fun and memorable as most series but it had its moments. Leafs had won games 2, 4 and 5 en route to a 3-2 series lead with a chance to clinch in Pittsburgh. The scoring in this game actually went exactly like game 5 vs. Tampa. 2 for them, 3 quick ones for us, they tie it, we score the winner.
Garry Valk scored a greasy one - just go to the net. Should be a lesson to all. To this date, this is still the last series-winning overtime goal the Leafs have scored. They've been eliminated in OT 3 times since: 2002, 2013, and 2017.
Who can forget Danny Markov saluting Jaromir Jagr as they celebrated the overtime win?
Home/Away: Away
Win/Loss: Win
Score: 4-3
2000, Round 1, vs. Ottawa Senators. This time we weren't just happy to be there. This felt like it could be a real playoff run. How did we get here? Leafs won games 1&2 fairly easily, Ottawa took 3&4 by one-goal margins, and in game 5 Ottawa held onto a 1-0 lead for half the game, until Stumpy Thomas (of course) tied it up with less than 5 minutes left. Then came the classic overtime goal. The one time Sergei Berezin ever passed!
All the real drama in this series had already happened. Ottawa scored twice early, but all the pressure was on them. Leafs methodically chipped away at the lead throughout the 2nd period, eventually taking a 4-2 lead on the last goal Wendel Clark would ever score for them.
Round 1 of the Battle of Ontario was in the books.
Home/Away: Away
Win/Loss: Win
Score: 4-2
2001, Round 2, vs. New Jersey Devils. It's hard to believe we actually had a 3-2 series lead on the bulletproof New Jersey Devils in this era. But it's true, we did! What a series this had been. And such a stark contrast to 2000, when they went out meekly in a 4-2 series loss in which they had just 117 shots and 9 goals. This time, they had 106 after just 5 games, to go with 15 goals! And who can forget the game 2 comeback? I worked till 3AM at Domino's but managed to avoid all news of the game and it was sure a wild ride watching it when I came home that night. I mean, who scores 4 goals on the 2001 New Jersey Devils? In one period???
Sadly, this series was also marked by one of the most boneheaded plays any of us had ever seen. I can name 20 dirtier plays off the top of my head, but in terms of sheer stupidity and how unnecessary it was, this may top the list. I'm talking, of course, about Tie Domi's attack on Scott Niedermayer. It seemed like Stevens (who was in the box) was the only person who saw it happen. He was flying around that penalty box like a wasp in a jar. I remember people saying, "look out, they've woken up the Devils", but a lot of people today forget that this happened in game 4, and the Leafs actually won game 5 without too much trouble (for a long time, I did!)
Unfortunately, the Leafs lost this one in a rather boring textbook Devils road win. Very little is memorable about this one. What really stands out about this series is the game 2 comeback, the Domi incident in game 4, Cory Cross completely undressing Brodeur in game 5 (video not available but I promise you it happened),and the unfortunate game 7 blowout.
Home/Away: Home
Win/Loss: Loss
Score: 2-4
What Happened in Game 7: Loss
Score: 1-5
2002, Round 1, vs. New York Islanders. This series was a war. I am pretty sure we lost to Carolina thanks to our inability to close this one out sooner. Game 6 was one culprit. Both teams had won their home games thus far, and the Leafs didn't know it yet, but they desperately needed to close this one out tonight. Just based on what we know now - how many more injuries would decimate their lineup, how long the ottawa series would take, etc.
Unfortunately, the Leafs didn't start on time, and were lucky to be tied 2-2 by the end of the first. However, by early in the 3rd it was 5-2, a deficit they did not have enough time. Of course, in game 7 they grinded out a win, like they should have, as the (far) superior team, but it was much too close.
this series was noteable for Tucker's low bridge hit on Peca (meh, overblown), Corson kicking Cairns (despicable), Shawn Bates scoring on a penalty shot (GFY) and the Steve Webb Show (bizarre!). For whatever reason, Webb, practically a nobody, became the Isles most important player in their home games, hitting everything that moved every time he was on the ice, generating a buzz in the home crowd the likes of which I have never seen since. Looking back, I can't believe he played just 48 minutes in that series. He really made them count. If the Leafs were not laden with the likes of Roberts, Tucker, Corson, McCabe, Belak and Domi, I think the Isles would have won this series on physicality alone.
Home/Away: Away
Win/Loss: Loss
Score: 3-5
What Happened in Game 7: Win
Score: 4-2
2004, Round 1, vs. Ottawa Senators. We're now on round 4 of the Battle of Ontario. Round 2 was a rout, round 3 was epic (but not for this thread). Leafs had taken games 2, 3 and 5, all by scores of 2-0 (that has to be a record, right??) to take a 3-2 series lead heading into game 6 in Ottawa.
This was a heartbreaker, as Chara scored to even the game at 1-1 midway through the 3rd. Then, in double OT, this happened.
No one likes to lose in double overtime. But as you know, Lalime made sure the leafs would have no problem taking game 7.
Home/Away: Away
Win/Loss: Loss
Score: 1-2
What Happened in Game 7: Win
Score: 4-1
2019, Round 1, vs. Boston Bruins. This one wasn't very long ago. We all remember it. With Boston on the ropes and the chance to deliver a knockout blow, the Leafs instead played one of their least-inspired games of the 14 against Boston. Outshot 41-24, it didn't really feel like this game was ever in doubt, even if the Leafs spent much of the 3rd period down by a single goal.
The next game was even worse, mind you. Gud thing Marleau played so much in the 3rd, though
Home/Away: Home
Win/Loss: Loss
Score: 2-4
What Happened in Game 7: Loss
Score: 1-5
2022, Round 1, vs. Tampa Bay Lightning. Garbage. Lost a game they so richly deserved to win. The wounds are still fresh, but I think years down the road, games 5 & 6 of the Tampa series will live on in Leafs fan lore as two of the most signficant we've ever seen.
Home/Away: Away
Win/Loss: Loss
Score: 3-4
What Happened in Game 7: TBD
Score: TBD
So, after winning 4 straight clinching game sixes between 1994 and 2000, the Leafs have now lost five straight since 2001. Is that relevant to today? No, not really. For example, 13 of the 19 players who lost the 2019 game aren't even here anymore.
Hope it was a good trip down memory lane. Took me quite a while.
