This should be an official Ontario holiday by now.
Here we are. Again. There were times in this series where we all thought a game #7 wouldn’t happen, sometimes because we were certain the Leafs would close it out and win before then, other times because we were certain the Lightning would close it out and win before then. Sometimes, we flipped dramatically between those two options during the course of a single game.
In any case, it ends, tonight. Game #7 is upon us, with a 7:00 p.m. start time. Maple Leafs fans will know either the bitterness of defeat, or the exultation of triumph.
Until then, you have to sit and wait, so here’s some other stuff to read about.
ICYMI
Kyle Dubas was busy on his day off, signing both of the Leafs top Finnish prospects to three year Entry-Level NHL contracts.
The Other Series
The Florida Panthers won their series, with ex-Leafs prospect Carter Verhaeghe scoring the series winning goal in OT, putting the Washington Capitals out of the running.
This means the Leafs will face the Panthers starting next week… as long as they win the series tonight.
42.2% of all NHL players to play in the ’21-22 season weren’t alive when the Panthers last won a playoff round https://t.co/iaNrEEw4B3
— EvolvingWild (@EvolvingWild) May 14, 2022
The New York Rangers made a late scoring push last night to move their series against the Pittsburgh Penguins on to a game #7 to be played on Sunday. Chris Kreider is so excited about that game he had already banned the team from watching any clips of game #6, even during the game. I love Mika Zibanejad’s non-reaction here; just moving on to his water bottle with a “Kreider being Kreider again” look.
Zibanejad looks at the tablet to see his breakaway miss and Kreider just throws it away pic.twitter.com/zklGR3ZMwn
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) May 14, 2022
The Stars upset the Flames again, winning last night and forcing a game #7 in their series tomorrow too. This is shocking as the Flames were very widely favoured to completely obliterate the Stars, and now they may fall in the very first round. The Pacific Division has been crazy this post-season. Nikita Zadorov was at the centre of everything in this game, and there may be a phone call from NHL Player Safety this morning about this hit.
Nikita Zadorov did not get a penalty for this hit on Luke Glendening.
Was this a clean hit or dirty play? #Flames #TexasHockey pic.twitter.com/OyX1HXk2DD
— Tim and Friends (@timandfriends) May 14, 2022
The Stars will play the Flames in Calgary tomorrow night to finish off their series and the entire first round of the playoffs will come to an end.
There’s a full slate of Game #7’s today, so if you want more series-concluding hockey to watch, you can have your fill both before and after the Leafs game:
Boston Bruins @ Carolina Hurricanes: 4:30 p.m. on Sportsnet
Los Angeles Kings @ Edmonton Oilers: 10:00 p.m. on Sportsnet and CBC