they did it. They finally did.
John Tavares put up the winner early in the first overtime as the Leafs edged the Lightning 2-1 in Game 6 to secure the franchise’s first series victory since 2004. It’s weird as of this writing.
Anyway, Leafs persevered. As expected, the lightning gave them all they could handle, and then some. By far, Ilya Samsonov was the biggest storyteller. He made 31 shutouts, and there’s no arguing that he may have single-handedly been the biggest reason Toronto got the win. What a performance!
The Leafs, who have won three overtime games in the series, will play either the Boston Bruins or Florida Panthers in the second round.
Auston Matthews started the scoring in the second period with his fifth of the series before Stephen Stamkos tied things up early in the third period.
I can’t believe it yet. Time to enjoy it for a few days.
Mozy Bakery:
They weathered the early storm
With many thanks to Ilya Samsonov, the Leafs found a way to escape serious damage in the first period despite another nervous and timid start. Once again, they ran into puck management issues that led directly to several high-risk opportunities for Lightning. When that happens, it puts a lot of pressure not only on the defense but also on the goalkeeper. But full credit to Samsonov for answering the bell in a big way. Besides, I thought it was a statement period for him.
Sami statement game
I said it into the night and it was true: Ilya Samsonov was the key. The Russian goalkeeper made 31 stops and improved to 4-0-0 in his career at the Amalie Arena. It was phenomenal. If it weren’t for him, there was no way the Leafs could find a way to win that match. He took some big time off and went toe-to-toe with Andrei Vasilevsky, who is very much Mariano Rivera in potential elimination matches. Not this time, Big Cat.
The four core
They were crushed. What will I say more? All things being equal, it was only fitting that one of the big dogs scored this organization’s biggest goal in 19 years. John Tavares, who left Long Island in the summer of 2018 to return home, received the honor. Bottom line: They’ve found a way to get the job done — plain and simple.
Casting out demons
As I sit here typing away in my Liberty Village condo, it’s utter pandemonium outside. This is understandable. It’s been a very long road for this team and a big part of these guys. They worked hard to build this moment. Right now, it’s hard to lose sight of the final: the Stanley Cup. On top of that, I love the post-match professionalism in acknowledging the moment but also understanding that this is just the beginning of a long journey I hope.
What then?
As mentioned, the Leafs will play either Boston or Florida in the second round. These two teams will face off in Game 7 on Sunday night.
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