The Maple Leafs were up 3-0 on the Detroit Red Wings after two games in the first round, but lost the next two to go down 4-3 in the series. The Red Wings won the next game on the road, and now the teams are only one win away from the Stanley Cup Finals.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have not won a playoff series since 2016, and it’s been a long road back to the post-season. Now that they are one game away from the Eastern Conference Finals, Leafs fans are doing their best to keep the team’s spirits up, and there are even reports that the Leafs’ dressing room is playing “Toronto Strong” by singing the city’s anthem, “O Canada.”
The Maple Leafs have won their first two games of the series on the road at the Bell Center and the Bell Centre. The game 7 showdown will take place on Tuesday at the Air Canada Centre. The Canadiens have won the first two games at home at the Bell Centre and the Bell Centre.
It doesn’t get much juicer than this: a Game 7 between two Original Six franchises, and the first such matchup between two Canadian teams in 17 years. The Toronto Maple Leafs are looking to exorcise past playoff demons. And to do it, they’ll have to get past a red-hot Carey Price and the opportunistic Montreal Canadiens. Meanwhile, two second-round series kicked off Sunday, and the Colorado Avalanche look like they may never lose again. Check out the ESPN NHL Playoffs Daily to catch up every day of the postseason until the Stanley Cup is handed out in July. More: Playoff schedule | Playoff Central
Monday’s games
Game 7: Montreal Canadiens at Toronto Maple Leafs | 7 p.m. (tied 3-3) It all comes down to this. The Leafs had full control of this series 3-1, but they squandered the past two opportunities to close it out. Sound familiar? Since 2013, the Leafs have lost seven straight games with the ability to clinch a playoff series. Auston Matthews and Mitchell Marner have been stifled offensively. Coach Sheldon Keefe is keeping his team on a narrow focus: “I don’t think pressure is an issue here. I think it’s just a matter of playing a hockey game where we’ve got to elevate our play. We’re not focused on any of the other things that, frankly, are irrelevant in this moment for our team.” 2 Related Game 2: New York Islanders at Boston Bruins | 7:30 p.m. (Bruins lead 1-0) Playing in front of a near-capacity crowd in Boston for Game 1, the Bruins put on a show. David Pastrnak has found his scoring touch, scoring a hat trick, as the “Perfection Line” tormented New York’s typically stingy defensive structure. Islanders coach Barry Trotz hasn’t committed to whether he’ll stick with rookie Ilya Sorokin in Game 1, or turn back to veteran Semyon Varlamov. Sorokin gave up four goals on 39 shots in the loss, but his coach gave him a decent endorsement after: “I can’t blame him on anything, really,” Trotz said. “I was happy with his game.” An injury to monitor is that of Bruins second-liner Craig Smith, who suffered an unspecified injury late in Game 1. It’s unclear if he’ll be available.
About last night
Tampa Bay Lightning 2, Carolina Hurricanes 1 (Lightning lead 1-0) The Hurricanes earned home-ice advantage after winning the ultra competitive Central Division, and PNC Arena was rocking for this one. They were generating a decent amount of pressure on Tampa Bay in Game 1 but had a hard time getting anything past goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy. Barclay Goodrow scored the go-ahead goal with about seven minutes remaining in the third period. Some bad news for Carolina: Forward Nino Niederreiter is “very, very doubtful” to return in this series, per coach Rod Brind’Amour. Tampa Bay defenseman David Savard was also out for Game 1 (he’s day-to-day, per coach Jon Cooper) while Erik Cernak, who left the game leaving the Lightning with just five defensemen, should be OK. Full recap. play 0:33 Barclay Goodrow scores from a bad angle to hand Tampa Bay a lead it wouldn’t relinquish in its 2-1 win over Carolina in Game 1. Colorado Avalanche 7, Vegas Golden Knights 1 (Avs lead 1-0) The Avalanche wrapped up their first-round series against the Blues so quickly, they had a full week of rest before this series. They sure looked fresh. Colorado stormed to a 2-0 lead in the first period, then scored four second-period goals to put this well out of question. The top line, led by Nathan MacKinnon, was fantastic. So too was Cale Makar, who assisted on the first three Avs goals. Meanwhile, Vegas coach Peter DeBoer opted for Robin Lehner in net over Marc-Andre Fleury, the latter of whom started every game in Round 1, and it didn’t go so well. Lehner was totally hung out to dry, and was roasted for seven goals on 37 shots. “The game tonight wasn’t about Robin Lehner,” coach Peter DeBoer said. “We didn’t play well enough in front of him. Full recap. Despite what may seem like a professional rivalry to outside observers, Fleury and Lehner continue to maintain a strong relationship: Marc-Andre Fleury being supportive as Lehner skates off the ice pic.twitter.com/KGEZ83qOOq — Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) May 31, 2021
Three stars of the night
Nathan MacKinnon, C, Colorado Avalanche The Colorado star is peaking at the right time. He leads all skaters this postseason with eight playoff goals. Nobody else has more than five. good lord Nathan MacKinnon pic.twitter.com/cUOyOa4aYq — Dimitri Filipovic (@DimFilipovic) May 31, 2021 Cale Makar, D, Colorado Avalanche Makar posted first career four-point playoff game. It was a goal and three assists, and some of them were absolute beauties. That pass from Cale Makar pic.twitter.com/r20B4qEvLc — Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) May 31, 2021 Andrei Vasilevskiy, G, Tampa Bay Lightning The 26-year-old continues to be a level above his peers as the best goaltender in the NHL. Vasilevskiy stopped 37 of 38 shots (.974 save percentage) to become the difference maker for Tampa in the Game 1 win.
Pump-up of the day
The Canes increased their crowd capacity to 16,000-plus for the second round — and they got everyone riled up with legendary emergency backup goalie David Ayres sounding the siren. Had to know we’d tie it up with DAVE AYRES on the siren! pic.twitter.com/Ce1FYvpCGe — Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) May 30, 2021
Mindset of the day
Longtime Columbus Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno joined the Maple Leafs at this year’s trade deadline. He knows past playoff failures weigh on Toronto and its fans, but he sounded unburdened. Here’s how Foligno sees the Leafs approaching Monday’s game: “Don’t worry about what the fans are saying. It doesn’t matter. This happens for a reason. Sometimes this is what catapults you. It’s hard for the fan base to hear right now, but we’re going to come and have the mindset that we’re going to win a hockey game.”The Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens will be fighting for their lives in the final game of the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday night, May 31, 2021 (United States Eastern Daylight Time) at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada.. Read more about toronto maple leafs game 7 and let us know what you think.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Montreal game tonight?
The Montreal Canadiens will host the Toronto Maple Leafs for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals at the Bell Center tonight. The series has been tight, and with the series tied 3-3, the games have gone to overtime, even though the Habs have won all 3 overtime games. Montreal has beaten Toronto in 5 straight games in Montreal. If Montreal wins tonight, they will be the first team to win the Stanley Cup in their home city since the Montreal Canadiens in 1993. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens played game seven of their first round playoff series tonight. As expected, the Leafs played a great game, but ultimately fell short by 3-2. The Canadiens, on the other hand, rebounded after a poor first half of the game and played a full 60 minutes. The Leafs held the majority of the first period, but the Canadiens were able to make things interesting in the second period. In the third, the Canadiens finally took control, and the Leafs were unable to recover.
Who won the hockey game last night Montreal or Toronto?
Last night’s game between the Montreal Canadians and Toronto Maple Leafs ended up being the most exciting game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs so far. Montreal came into the game without two of their top players—Nathan Beaulieu (suspended) and Andrei Markov (injured), but the Canadiens came out with a dominant performance and beat Toronto 5-2. The Toronto Maple Leafs edged the Montreal Canadiens in a hard-fought 7-5 win last night on the road in Montreal. The win was Toronto’s first against the Canadiens in the playoffs since the 2006-07 season, while Montreal failed to win three straight series for the first time since 2004.
When was the last time Toronto played Montreal in playoffs?
The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens will face off in Game 7 of their playoff series on Wednesday, April 11. Toronto is currently trailing Montreal 3-1 in the series, but will have a chance to become the first team to clinch a Stanley Cup in franchise history. The Leafs have won the past two games against the Habs at the Bell Centre and they will be looking to make it three in a row. Montreal is currently in second place in the Atlantic Division and they will be looking for their first playoff win at the Bell Centre this spring. The Maple Leafs and Canadiens are set to face off in Game 7 of their playoff series tonight with the winner meeting the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Finals. The loser will be eliminated from the playoffs, and is expected to give way to the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Canadiens and the Maple Leafs have met on the ice just once in the playoffs, in 1994, when the Maple Leafs eliminated the Habs in six games.
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