Here we are. Again. There were times in this series where we all thought a game #7 wouldn’t happen, sometimes because we were certain the Leafs would close it out and win before then, other times because we were certain the Lightning would close it out and win before then. Sometimes, we flipped dramatically between those two options during the course of a single game.

In any case, it ends tonight. Game #7 is upon us with a 7:00 p.m. start time. Maple Leafs fans will know either the bitterness of defeat, or the exultation of triumph.

Until then, you have to sit and wait, so here’s some other stuff to read about.

ICYMI

Kyle Dubas was busy on his day off, signing both of the Leafs top Finnish prospects to three year Entry-Level NHL contracts.

Maple Leafs sign Roni Hirvonen and Topi Niemelä to ELCs
PPP 2021 Top 25 Under 25: Topi Niemelä is #7
PPP 2021 Top 25 Under 25: Roni Hirvonen is #8

The Other Series

The Florida Panthers won their series, with ex-Leafs prospect Carter Verhaeghe scoring the series winning goal in OT, putting the Washington Capitals out of the running.

This means the Leafs will face the Panthers starting next week... as long as they win the series tonight.

The New York Rangers made a late scoring push last night to move their series against the Pittsburgh Penguins on to a game #7 to be played on Sunday. Chris Kreider is so excited about it he had already banned the team from watching any clips of game #6, even during game #6. I love Mika Zibanejad’s non-reaction here; just moving on to his water bottle with a “Kreider being Kreider again” look.

The Dallas Stars upset the Calgary Flames again, winning last night and forcing a game #7 in their series tomorrow too. This is shocking as the Flames were very widely favoured to completely obliterate the Stars, and now they may fall in the very first round. The Pacific Division has been crazy this post-season. Nikita Zadorov was at the centre of everything in this game, and there may be a phone call from NHL Player Safety this morning about this hit.

The Stars will play the Flames in Calgary tomorrow night to finish off their series and the entire first round of the playoffs will come to an end.

There’s a full slate of Game #7’s today, so if you want more series-concluding hockey to watch, you can have your fill both before and after the Leafs game:

Boston Bruins @ Carolina Hurricanes: 4:30 p.m. on Sportsnet

Los Angeles Kings @ Edmonton Oilers: 10:00 p.m. on Sportsnet and CBC

Will the Leafs do the thing?

Yes. They slay the dragon.229
Ummmm.... well121
From The Branches