Toronto Maple Leafs vs Tampa Bay Lightning Game 5: Preview, Lines, Prediction, 2023 NHL Playoffs
The Toronto Maple Leafs shocked the Tampa Bay Lightning after winning the match in OT after being 1-4 down at the end of the second period.
It looked like Tampa had a grip on the game and would easily lock the Leafs up in the third period. The Leafs turned on their jets and scored three goals in the final period to tie the game at 4-4 heading into OT.
Alexander Kerfoot scored the winner for the Toronto Maple Leafs 4:14 into OT. It was a power play goal with an assist from Mark Giordano. With Kerfoot's goal, the Leafs won a thriller and have a 3-1 series lead heading into Game 5. They can knock out the Lightning, who have won 11 out of 12 playoff series in the past three postseasons.
Toronto is looking for payback from when the Lightning came back from 2-1 and 3-2 deficits to win the series 4-3 last season. This could also be the first time the Canadian team win a playoff series since 2004.
Andrei Vasileyskiy needs to find his footing for Tampa. He had an amazing .915 SV% in the regular season, which has fallen to .856% in the first round of the playoffs.
Fans and media have been giving him a hard time, with even former assistant coach Derek Lalonde speaking about Vasilevskiy's "weakness" live on Sportsnet.
HC Jon Cooper denied these claims and replied:
"Sportsnet is paying him well to go give an opinion, so he's got to make something up about that kind of stuff."
Ilya Samsonov had a 27-save night for the Leafs and will be a key factor in stopping the Bolts attack tonight and giving Toronto a 4-1 series win.
Toronto Maple Leafs projected lineup
- Jarnkrok - Matthews - Nylander
- Knies - Tavares - Marner
- Kerfoot - O’Reilly - Acciari
- Aston-Reese - Kampf - Lafferty
- Brodie - McCabe
- Rielly - Schenn
- Giordano - Holl
Tampa Bay Lightning projected lineup
- Hagel-Point-Kucherov
- Cirelli-Stamkos-Killorn
- Colton-Paul-Maroon
- Namestnikov-Bellemare-Perry
- Hedman-Bogosian
- Cole-Perbix
- Sergachev-Cernak
Prediction
The series is not over yet, and the Toronto Maple Leafs know that very well. They have let a huge series lead slip before and the Lightning are capable of coming back into the series.
It all starts with a win tonight for the Tampa Bay Lightning, which will give them the momentum they need to push this series to seven games and upset the Leafs yet again.
