The Toronto Maple Leafs have finally broken their playoff curse in the Auston Matthews era. After making the playoffs every year but losing each time, this year’s team felt different. And they proved it by beating the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 on Saturday, advancing to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in 19 years. The success is due in large part to the standout performances of first-star John Tavares, second-star Ilya Samsonov, and third-star Auston Matthews. Jake McCabe, T.J. Brodie, Mitch Marner, Morgan Rielly, and Luke Schenn also contributed to the team’s victory with strong performances. Despite some quiet nights, the team as a whole proved to be a force to be reckoned with, earning an overall grade of A-. Looking ahead, the Leafs will either face off against the Bruins in another redemption story or battle Matthew Tkachuk and the Panthers in the next round. Regardless, the Toronto Maple Leafs have finally cracked the code and will be back for round two.
