Tkachuk was the catalyst behind the Panthers’ comeback he too led his team in scoring with 11 points. Marner led the Leafs offensively in the opening round with 11 points. The Leafs’ Mitch Marner and Panthers’ Tkachuk formed two-thirds of one of the best junior lines of the past decade. One of the more intriguing storylines is the London Knights connection. As for Toronto, exorcizing playoff demons the way the Maple Leafs just did sometimes lifts the pressure, allowing a team to soar onward and upward. Three years ago, when Columbus did something similar to upset heavily favored Tampa Bay, the momentum screeched to a halt in the second round. And yet, the problem for Florida after completing such a remarkable series win is doing it again. The Maple Leafs won their first playoff series since 2004, while the Panthers recorded what Matthew Tkachuk described as the biggest upset in NHL history when they eliminated the 65-win Bruins in the opening round. Let’s see where things go next.Įastern Conference Toronto Maple Leafs vs. The NHL guard is changing and someone is either going to win the first championship in franchise history or end a long Stanley Cup drought. Louis and Pittsburgh missing the playoffs altogether, here’s the safest prediction of all: With the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche and the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Boston Bruins also on the sidelines, and recent past winners such as Washington, St. Edmonton defeated Los Angeles for the second consecutive postseason, while Toronto was able to flip the script on Tampa Bay, defeating the Lightning after losing to them in the opening round a year ago. But now, as we head into the second round, the dream remains alive, thanks to the Edmonton Oilers and the Toronto Maple Leafs both winning their opening-round series.
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