TORONTO — The square outside the empty N.H.L. arena that is home to the Maple Leafs was jammed and jumping like a mosh pit on a damp, cold — even for the Canadian springtime — Saturday night.
Far south in Tampa, Fla., center John Tavares scored in overtime to end an excruciating stretch of playoff futility for the Maple Leafs. Kyle Dubas, the team’s general manager, who has long been criticized for persisting with his underachieving roster, exploded to his feet in his box above the ice, jabbing the air like a prize fighter. Behind the bench, Coach Sheldon Keefe was mobbed by his assistants, and the players jettisoned their sticks, clambering over the boards and piling into their teammates on the ice.