No matter how many people think the Toronto Maple Leafs have changed, the Stanley Cup Playoffs continue to reveal their complete inability to close out a playoff series. The Leafs came into Game 5 of their first-round series against the Ottawa Senators leading 3-1, but Toronto could not put away the young Sens in a Game 4 overtime loss on Saturday.
The Leafs pressed early in the contest, but a pair of former Buffalo Sabres played a critical role in Ottawa staying alive and forcing Game 6 in Kanata on Thursday. Vezine Trophy winner Linus Ullmark withstood an early Toronto onslaught before Thomas Chabot’s opening goal midway through the second period.
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Ullmark was perfect on the night, stopping all 29 shots, and held Toronto at bay into the third period, when a costly error during the Leafs power play by Auston Matthews resulted in an odd-man break and Dylan Cozens short-handed goal that broke Toronto’s back.
Here is how some former Sabres did in the playoffs on Monday:
William Carrier(CAR) 1A, +1, 11:26 TOI, 2 Hits, 3 SOG
Eric Robinson(CAR) -1, 12:58 TOI, 2 Hits, 3 SOG
Taylor Hall(CAR) 1G, -1, 19:32 TOI, 3 SOG
Evander Kane(EDM) 1G, +1, 17:35 TOI, 5 SOG, 4 Hits
Marcus Foligno(MIN) 14:50 TOI, 3 Hits, 3 SOG
Marcus Johansson(MIN) 14:40 TOI, 1 Hit, 2 SOG
Zach Bogosian(MIN) -1, 15:03 TOI, 1 Hit
Jack Eichel(VGK) +1, 2A, 23:30 TOI, 1 Hit, 5 SOG
Brayden McNabb(VGK) +2, 20:06 TOI, 5 Hits, 1 SOG
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