Canadiens stun Maple Leafs with a shocking Game 7 victory

The Montreal Canadiens are moving on to the second round after completing a 3-1 series comeback against the Toronto Maple Leafs, topped off with a Game 7 victory.

The Montreal Canadiens have done it. They have completed the series comeback, coming back from 3-1 down in the series to topple the dreams of the cursed Toronto Maple Leafs with a 3-1 victory in Game 7.

The tension could be felt from puck drop of this game, even with the limited attendance in Toronto. The entire province of Ontario had been holding their breath ever since the conclusion of Game 7, and their fears were ultimately proven to be founded once again by the leagues most haunted franchise.

Brendan Gallagher opened the scoring in this Game 7, taking advantage of a turnover by Mitch Marner and firing a wrist shot through the five hole of Jack Campbell. The goal was Gallagher’s first point of the series, but it couldn’t have come at a better time.

Corey Perry would make it 2-0 Montreal on a deflection of a Nick Suzuki shot, and though there was still a whole period left to play, it certainly felt as though that was a dagger to this series. The goal would hold up as the series winning goal for the Canadiens.

An empty net goal from Tyler Toffoli would seal the deal, and send Canadiens fans everywhere into hysteric celebration as their victory was secured.

William Nylander would get the Maple Leafs on the board to end the shutout bid, but it was far too little far too late to spark any hope of a comeback, and the Maple Leafs season would end right there, with a whimper on home ice after choking a 3-1 series lead to their oldest rival.

For the Canadiens, what a spectacular victory, one that will live on throughout history. After losing Game 4 of this series, the Canadiens would never trail in any of the final three games, and take two straight games in overtime to keep their season alive to force this Game 7. Carey Price shut the door on any hope the Maple Leafs had, and is the biggest reason as to why they’re off to the second round, but they got a contributions from up and down the lineup in the final three games of the series.

The Canadiens will move on and face the Winnipeg Jets for the right to represent the North division in the third round against the winner of the Colorado Avalanche/Vegas Golden Knights series. The series will begin on Wednesday in Winnipeg.

For the Maple Leafs, this is one of the worst playoff collapses the league has seen in a long while. Up 3-1 For some extra salt in the wound, this is their eighth consecutive loss in potential series clinching games. If that wasn’t enough, they are also the first team EVER to lose four consecutive winner take all games in the postseason.

Worst of all, most of the Maple Leafs stars were a no show in this series and in this Game 7. Auston Matthews recorded just one goal after winning the Rocket Richard in the regular season, and Mitch Marner has not scored a playoff goal in over two years along with making several mistakes at key points of this series. That kind of performance is unacceptable with how much money those two make.

Where do you go from here if you’re the Maple Leafs? There’s no easy answer. The ravenous Toronto fanbase will demand that heads roll for this result, and only time will tell what that could entail, but only one thing is for certain. It is going to be an agonizing off-season in Toronto, and next season is going to feel essentially meaningless until they get back to the playoffs.