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What if the Toronto Maple Leafs Lose Game 5 to Tampa?

By Stephen Nixon

TAMPA, FLORIDA - APRIL 24: Alexander Kerfoot #15 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates a goal in overtime to win Game Four of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena on April 24, 2023 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA - APRIL 24: Alexander Kerfoot #15 of the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrates a goal in overtime to win Game Four of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena on April 24, 2023 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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I hate to bring this up but what if the Toronto Maple Leafs lose Game 5?

It’s pretty hard to win four games in a seven game playoff series, let alone four games in a row, but that’s what the Toronto Maple Leafs are trying to do on Thursday night.

Since 2004, the Leafs have not been able to secure that fourth win in a seven game playoff series and as a result, haven’t advanced past the first round in 19 years. Every time I write that, that stats gets crazier because Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner have been apart of the ride since 2016.

By now, you would have thought that those two players would’ve pushed the Leafs to the second round, yet here we are. Two years ago, the Leafs had a 3-1 series lead against the Montreal Canadiens and somehow blew it.

They ultimately lost Game 5 and 6 in overtime, then Game 7 on home-ice.

If there was ever an easy time to win a playoff series, it was in a quiet rink with nobody to boo them. It would’ve been lame for this team to finally win during a pandemic season, but there were zero excuses for them to not win that series, yet they somehow found a way to lose.

Toronto Maple Leafs Better Win Game 5

They found a way to lose because that’s just what this team does. They always break your heart and make it as difficult as possible.

So, here’s why the Leafs need to win Game 5 and not wait any longer.

They could win in Game 6 on the road or even back at home for Game 7 and exorcise their demons, but that’s way too much hardship for the fanbase. The Leafs have the Tampa Bay Lightning on the ropes and need to go for the kill-shot.

This Lightning team has been to three straight Stanley Cup Finals and will have all the confidence in the world to win Game 6 at home and force a Game 7, where anything can happen. If the Leafs give the Lightning life, they will take advantage of them.

Instead, the team has a huge opportunity to end the series and advance to the second round without any stress.

After Game 1, the team looked lifeless. Game 2 got them back into the series. Game 3 gave them momentum and then Game 4 gave us all hope and energy that this drought could finally be over.

Don’t let the Lightning come back to life or the demons will creep back in on Saturday night. If the Leafs have to play another Game 7 this year they will lose because that’s what they always do.

Next. Turning Over a New Leaf. dark

It’s time to do something this team and their fanbase isn’t used to and break the streak. End this thing tonight and a Stanley Cup run can become real.

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