Everyone knew the stakes going in. The Toronto Maple Leafs were in a must-win game against the Washington Capitals. They had home ice, they had their belief in themselves, and the only thing they could do was go for it. Win, and go to Washington. Lose, and wait to level up and try this boss fight again next year.
One of those long stretch passes that don’t connect, and the Leafs open with an early icing.
Caps follow up with an offside, and everyone is nervous.
Up and down shift from the Auston Matthews line, and they are missing on some passes and takeaways, but remember when they used to get snowed in for ages against better teams?