Game 7 fates far too unkind to Toronto goaltenders through the years
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Ah, Game 7, the witching hour for the Maple Leafs in six series.
Perhaps the seventh time in 12 years will be a lucky charm. While a lack of scoring from star power is a big factor, it’s the crease where the curse has been most painful.
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Joseph Woll will try and reverse that Sunday night against the Florida Panthers, his work a huge part of Friday’s win that extended Toronto’s lifeline.
A look at how Leaf goalies fared in recent Game 7s:
May 13, 2013 at Boston
GOALIE: James Reimer
FINAL SCORE: 5-4, (OT) Bruins
WHAT HAPPENED: After winning twice by 2-1 scores to go the distance, the Leafs were up 4-1 with 11 minutes to play. Then the Causeway Street Collapse ensued. Nathan Horton scored, Matt Frattin was stopped by Tuukka Rask on a breakaway (Rask a former Leaf pick), while the big save eluded Reimer as Boston scored twice in 31 ticks with Rask on the bench. Boston out-shot Toronto 17-6 in the period, while Patrice Bergeron, who’d tied it, jumped on a Jake Gardiner giveaway in overtime, assisted by a young Brad Marchand.
“That’s definitely in the top five lows of your life,” Reimer said.
April 25, 2018 at Boston
GOALIE: Frederik Andersen
FINAL SCORE: 7-4, Bruins
WHAT HAPPENED: Patrick Marleau scored twice as Toronto took a one-goal lead into the third while Andersen and Rask duelled. But the B’s struck early and eventually put in four on 11 shots, including Marchand’s empty-netter. It was the first time that season Toronto had allowed four markers in a final period, but the post-game spotlight also fell on defenceman Gardiner’s minus 5.
April 23, 2019 at Boston
GOALIE: Frederik Andersen
FINAL SCORE: 5-1, Bruins
WHAT HAPPENED: Lesser lights led the way for Boston’s Joakim Nordstrom and Marcus Johansson with first period goals. Nordstrom’s came from the short side along the goal line through Andersen’s pads, a real groaner. The Leafs blocked only four shots for Andersen to Boston’s 17 for Rask, with John Tavares getting the only goal. Gardiner had another rough Game 7 in his Leaf swansong, and while Andersen stayed another year, he was under worse criticism when Toronto lost the COVID-19 bubble series in a deciding fifth game to Columbus.
May 31, 2021 at Toronto
GOALIE: Jack Campbell
FINAL SCORE: 3-1, Canadiens
WHAT HAPPENED: The high-flying Leafs were the clear series’ favourites, but had lost Tavares and defenceman Jake Muzzin along with way. Montreal had a simple game plan, a meaner defence and most importantly, a vintage Carey Price against the neophyte Campbell. After two overtime losses let Montreal even the series, Brendan Gallagher beat Campbell with a weak opener and the Habs went on to the Cup final.
“The worst goal of my career happened in a Game 7. No excuse, unacceptable,” said Campbell.
May 14, 2022 at Toronto
GOALIE: Jack Campbell
FINAL SCORE: 2-1, Lightning
WHAT HAPPENED: Up 3-2 in the series against the defending champions, the Leafs dropped Game 6 in overtime, but still had home ice for redemption. That’s when Nick Paul became the newest grinder to help eliminate them, with two goals for the Bolts. Though Campbell played his heart out, opening the series with a shutout and making 24 saves in Game 7, Andrei Vasilevskiy was just a bit better at the other end. Campbell was not re-signed.
May 4, 2024 at Boston
GOALIE: Ilya Samsonov
FINAL SCORE: 2-1 (OT), Bruins
WHAT HAPPENED: Woll had allowed just two goals on 56 shots in a seven-period stretch, but suffered a lower body injury with a second to go in Game 6. The Leafs turned to ‘Sammy’, whose record was 1-3 in the series before Woll was inserted. Less than two minutes into OT, with some of the Leafs’ most experienced players on the ice, there was collective brain fog when Hampus Lindholm dumped the puck in, Samsonov nor anyone else reacted and David Pastrnak scored a freebie.
Samsonov believed he did the right thing not coming out to play the disc, but of its ramifications he noted “I don’t remember the last time I feel as (crap) as right now.”
X: @sunhornby
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