The Maple Leafs have a nightmare start to the playoffs with an ugly Game 1 defeat.
The Toronto Maple Leafs face more pressure than any other team in this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs.
They need to win big.
That’s why their 7-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night was the worst possible start to the playoffs for them, their fans, and pretty much everyone else involved with the team.
Aside from playing in a hockey-crazed market that hasn’t won a championship since 1967, the Maple Leafs are under intense scrutiny because they haven’t won a playoff series since 2004.
Even worse, this current core, led by Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and John Tavares, has lost in the first round of the playoffs for the past six seasons.
They’ve lost in every way possible.
As favorites, underdogs, by blowing large series leads, and by being completely outplayed.
Every series loss, and even every game loss, evokes memories of the “same old Leafs” who can’t get it done.
This year was meant to be different.
Something has to be different.
Not only were the Maple Leafs one of the league’s best teams during the regular season, but their matchup with Tampa Bay is considered somewhat favorable.
Not only were the Maple Leafs one of the league’s best teams during the regular season, but their matchup with Tampa Bay is considered somewhat favorable.
Even though the Lightning have been in the Stanley Cup Final for the past three seasons, there is a lot of hockey to be played, which must take a physical toll on a team.
They’ve also struggled down the stretch and haven’t been playing their best hockey heading into the postseason. When you combine Toronto’s home-ice advantage with the Lightning’s potential vulnerability, another first-round loss is not acceptable in Toronto.
The main issue on Tuesday was starting goalie Ilya Samsonov.
Murray struggled again this year and is currently out with an injury, while Samsonov had a poor start on Tuesday.
Expectations are high for this team. The fan base and Toronto media are placing even higher demands. Following that opening game, confidence must have been low.
