SI:AM | Maple Leafs Make Doubtful Historical past With Newest Recreation 7 Failure – Sports activities Illustrated

Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. I’m extremely excited to have the ability to ship SI:AM as an email newsletter once more. 
In immediately’s SI:AM: 
⛈️ Thunder dominate Game 7
💰 Purdy gets paid
🪓 Orioles axe manager
It’s usually stated that the 2 best phrases in sports activities are “Recreation 7.” Not for Toronto Maple Leafs followers. 
The Leafs had been bounced from the playoffs on Sunday by the Florida Panthers with a 6–1 defeat at residence in Recreation 7. It was a crushing finish to the season for a crew that started the yr with Stanley Cup aspirations, however the Leafs ought to be used to that by now. 
“They had been the higher crew tonight. They had been the extra determined crew tonight. They had been the extra aggressive crew,” Toronto coach Craig Berube said. “You bought to have a degree of desperation, dedication. And I didn’t really feel we had it.”
With Sunday’s loss, Toronto has now misplaced extra Recreation 7s than another franchise in NHL historical past—a complete of 16, breaking a tie with the Boston Bruins. However the Leafs’ current historical past has been even worse. They’ve made the playoffs in 9 straight seasons and been eradicated in a Recreation 7 in six of these years. No other franchise has misplaced greater than 4 Recreation 7s over that span. 
The Leafs haven’t gained a Recreation 7 since 2004. They’ve misplaced seven Recreation 7 alternatives in a row, tied for the longest such streak in NHL history. (The Colorado Avalanche have an lively streak of seven such losses.) However wait, it will get even worse. While you embrace Toronto’s loss in Recreation 5 of the best-of-five qualifying spherical within the 2020 playoffs, the Leafs have misplaced eight straight winner-take-all video games, the second-longest streak in NHL historical past behind the New York Rangers (1934–87). 
So Leafs followers are used to seeing their crew lose in do-or-die conditions, however Sunday’s loss was particularly crushing. Toronto was by no means aggressive, surrendering an astonishing 75 shot makes an attempt within the first two durations, the most by any team this season. The Panthers broke the dam within the second interval and poured it on within the third. A number of followers threw their jerseys on the ice in disgust throughout play after Florida had put the sport out of attain. 
It was a well-recognized final result for the Leafs, but it surely was additionally a well-recognized final result for Panthers ahead Brad Marchand. After enjoying his first 16 NHL seasons with the Bruins, Marchand was traded to the Panthers on the deadline this yr, and he continued his playoff dominance over Toronto within the clinching recreation. Marchand assisted on two Florida targets and scored the empty-netter that sealed the Leafs’ destiny. Marchand has appeared in 13 Recreation 7s in his profession, more than any active player, and is 5–0 towards the Leafs. 
“I grew up a Leafs fan. I take pleasure in enjoying towards the Leafs,” Marchand said after the game. “I take pleasure in interacting with followers. Like, it’s enjoyable. It’s not one thing I’ll endlessly get to do.”
The loss locations the Leafs at a crossroads as they start the offseason with loads of query marks. The largest is how the crew will change Mitch Marner, who has been Toronto’s No. 2 offensive weapon alongside Auston Matthews for practically a decade. 
Marner’s contract is expiring and he can be an unrestricted free agent this summer season. He doesn’t sound like he believes he’ll be again, both. After the loss, the Toronto native spoke prior to now tense about his time with the franchise. Veteran John Tavares may also be a free agent after seven years centering Toronto’s second line. 
Nonetheless the Leafs select to navigate the offseason, it seems a brand new boss can be calling the pictures. Staff president Brendan Shanahan’s contract can be expiring, and the Leafs aren’t anticipated to carry him again. 
… issues I noticed yesterday: 
5. Two really tough saves by Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky early in Recreation 7.
4. Cal Quantrill’s immaculate inning. 
3. The Thunder’s hounding defense late within the first half as they started to tug away in Recreation 7. 
2. Cody Bellinger’s grand slam to blow open the Yankees’ win over the Mets. 
1. Scottie Scheffler’s walk to the 18th green as he closed out his third profession main championship.
Dan Gartland is the author and editor of Sports activities Illustrated’s flagship each day publication, SI:AM, overlaying all the things an informed sports activities fan must know. He joined the SI employees in 2014, having beforehand been printed on Deadspin and Slate. Gartland, a graduate of Fordham College, is a former Sports activities Jeopardy! champion (Season 1, Episode 5).
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