The Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1 in Game 7 Saturday night to advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In doing so, the two-time defending champion Lightning keep their three-peat hopes alive.
Tampa Bay overcame a 3-2 series deficit — and won in overtime in Game 6 — to take down Toronto.
So, that’s the winning side of things.
As for the losing side, well, this is unfortunately more of the same for the Maple Leafs and their fans- who know heartbreak all too well.
The Maple Leafs last won a playoff series in 2004, so that drought officially reaches 18 years. And they last won a Stanley Cup in 1967, so that drought reaches 55 years.
It’s also the sixth straight year that the Maple Leafs made the postseason and got knocked out in the first round.
The sports world has had a lot to say about the Maple Leafs’ latest playoff exit, both in terms of factoids and jokes. Here’s a look at some of the tweets:
Leafs in potential series-clinching games since 2018
Record 0-9
Goals 17
Goals Against 35
Power Play 5.6% (1-for-18)
Penalty Kill 58.8%— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) May 15, 2022
The Maple Leafs haven’t advanced past the first round of the playoffs since 2003-04 😮
Losing FOUR Game 7s in that span and NINE consecutive potential clinching games since 2018 pic.twitter.com/XlnaH6EBn3
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) May 15, 2022
The Maple Leafs are the first team in MLB/NBA/NHL history to lose a winner-take-all game in the opening round of the playoffs 5 years in a row.
— Stats By STATS (@StatsBySTATS) May 15, 2022
The Leafs have lost a winner-take-all final game in five straight playoff series.
The probability of that having happened? 0.0036%, or 1 in 27,778.#LeafsForever
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) May 15, 2022
20,102 days since a Cup.
6,699 days since winning a playoff series.
812 days since losing to an AHL Zamboni driver.#LeafsForever
— Since Leafs Last Cup (@LeafsIastCup) May 15, 2022
Toronto defeats Tampa Bay 🔥
FINAL: #BlueJays 5, Rays 1 pic.twitter.com/oiYa3WMksg
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) May 15, 2022
"I am so glad I am not a Leafs fan"
-me, a Detroit Lions fan
— Isaac (@WorldofIsaac) May 15, 2022
Maple Leafs getting eliminated in the first round every year. pic.twitter.com/3tbjIU3AJx
— Tim and Friends (@timandfriends) May 15, 2022
Absolutely gutted for everyone that cares about this stupid, tortured hockey team
— JD Bunkis (@JDBunkis) May 15, 2022