Another year has passed, bringing yet another heartbreaking playoff elimination for the Toronto Maple Leafs and their dedicated fanbase.
Following a hopeful Game 6 victory away from home in their second-round series against the Florida Panthers, the Maple Leafs returned to their home ice on Sunday night only to be decisively beaten by the reigning champions.
Florida secured a commanding 6-1 win in Game 7 at Scotiabank Arena, advancing to the Eastern Conference Final, while the Toronto players skated off the ice to audible boos from their home crowd.
The game slipped away from the Maple Leafs during a rapid three-goal outburst by the Panthers in the second period. This scoring surge could have put Toronto in a 4-0 deficit heading into the second intermission, were it not for a goal that was later overturned.
Max Domi offered a brief moment of optimism for Toronto with a goal slightly over two minutes into the third period, but Eetu Luostarinen quickly extinguished any comeback hopes by scoring less than a minute later.
Remarkably, the Maple Leafs have now been eliminated in either the first or second round in nine consecutive post-seasons.
For a team that many believed was finally poised for a deep playoff run into June, Sunday`s outcome represents the most recent cruel blow to a franchise long familiar with heartbreak.
As the final minutes ticked away, the wider hockey community reacted on social media to the Maple Leafs` all too familiar playoff failure. Below are some notable responses and statistics from the game:
