An extensive timeline of the Maple Leafs' Stanley Cup Playoff elimination game woes

USA Today

30-04-2025

An extensive timeline of the Maple Leafs' Stanley Cup Playoff elimination game woes
The Toronto Maple Leafs are 1-13 in series-clinching games since 2018, now losing two straight to Ottawa after a 3-0 series lead. Leafs lost 11 straight clinching games before ending that streak in 2023. — Chris Vannini (@chrisvannini.com) 2025-04-30T01:54:24.033Z
The Toronto Maple Leafs have been here before. Many, many times, in fact.
After taking a 3-0 first round lead in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Ottawa Senators, the Maple Leafs have lost two consecutive games — and the overall momentum in the series. Now facing another game in Ottawa, the Maple Leafs are staring down a Game 6 and possible Game 7 scenario with the potential to be reverse swept by their Canadian rival.
This is not a new feeling for the Maple Leafs. Heading into Thursday night's Game 6, the Maple Leafs' record in series-clinching games is a dismal 1-13 since 2018. Yes, the Maple Leafs have won just one series-clinching game — back in 2023 — in 14 attempts over recent years.
As expected of Toronto, fans and media alike are not taking this recent slide by the Maple Leafs well. And given the team's extensive history of not being able to close out playoff series, it's no wonder the mood in Toronto has quickly turned to apathy.
MAPLE LEAFS MISERY: Anthony Stolarz's message about Maple Leafs' Game 5 close-out failure is painfully naive.
Let's take a look at the Maple Leafs' recent failures in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with this handy timeline of events.
Before 2018
Let's set the scene a little. Leading up to 2018, the Maple Leafs had already garnered a reputation of being playoff chokers. Toronto had hit a postseason dry spell between 2006 and 2012, missing the playoffs for seven straight seasons.
Then, in 2013, when the Maple Leafs played the Boston Bruins in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Toronto held a 4-1 lead in Game 7 with 11 minutes left in the third period. The Maple Leafs then coughed up the 4-1 lead and allowed the Bruins to tie the game and eventually win the series in overtime. Thus spawned the "it was 4-1" memes that continue to haunt the Maple Leafs over a decade later.
2018: The Boston Bruins
As you can probably tell, the Bruins will feature quite heavily in the Maple Leafs' postseason misery.
In 2018, the Maple Leafs fell behind in their first round series 3-1 before winning two straight games to force a Game 7 in Boston. It seemed like the Maple Leafs had all the momentum coming into the game, right? Wrong, as the Maple Leafs coughed up a one-goal third period lead and allowed the Bruins to score four goals in the final frame to the tune of a miserable 7-4 loss.
2019: The Boston Bruins, again
The Maple Leafs won twice in Boston in the first five games of the series to hold a 3-2 series lead coming into Game 6. However, Toronto managed to score just three goals total in Game 6 and 7 as their offense dried up and Boston — once again — bested the Maple Leafs in a first-round playoff series.
2020: The Columbus Blue Jackets
The COVID-shortened season and unusual playoff format was an adjustment for many, but unfortunately for the Maple Leafs, their inability to close out a series struck again. After battling back from a three-goal deficit in Game 4 to force a decisive Game 5 in the qualifying round, the Maple Leafs were shut out by the Blue Jackets in the final game of the series and were once again forced to go home after failing to win a playoff round.
2021: The Montreal Canadiens
Yet again, the Maple Leafs took command of a series early, this time going up 3-1 after three straight wins and putting the Canadiens on the ropes for Game 5. And much like before, the team collapsed with two overtime losses to force the series to a Game 7. In that Game 7, the Canadiens held a three-goal lead with only a late garbage time goal from William Nylander as the Maple Leafs' only score in the game.
2022: The Tampa Bay Lightning
The Maple Leafs and Lightning traded wins and losses in the opening games of this series, but Toronto got the 3-2 series advantage with a gusty, comeback 4-3 win in Game 5. However, the Maple Leafs once again failed to capitalize on a series lead, as the Lightning won the final two games of the series to eliminate Toronto in yet another Game 7 failure.
2023: Revenge against the Tampa Bay Lightning
The good news for the Maple Leafs is that in 2023, the team actually managed to win a series-clinching game! Toronto took a 3-1 series lead over Tampa Bay and, despite a home Game 5 loss, were able to pull out a clutch overtime Game 6 victory to advance to the second round of the playoffs for the first time in 19 years.
Unfortunately, the Maple Leafs' joy was short-lived as the team managed just one win over the Florida Panthers in the second round before bowing out of the playoffs.
2024: The Boston Bruins, for a third time
Stop me if you've heard this before, but the Maple Leafs failed to win a first round playoff series against the Boston Bruins in a Game 7 scenario. Toronto ended up battling back after a 3-1 series deficit to force a Game 7, but ended up losing 2-1 in overtime on a heartbreaking David Pastrňák goal.
2025: The Ottawa Senators
This series isn't set in stone just yet, but the Maple Leafs could add the Ottawa Senators to their list of playoff failures when all is said and done. And it very well might end up being the worst result of them all if the Senators are able to complete the reverse sweep. Time will tell!