NHL

What We Learned: The Leafs got out of the first round, which isn't a big deal

I have a lot of friends who are Leafs fans and I'm so happy that they finally won a first-round matchup in a way that's indisputable. I hope they take this run all the way to the Stanley Cup. 

I really do.

This wasn't some fluke goal in Game 7 aided by a whole series of calls while they were getting womped on a nightly basis. It is fair to say that the Lightning were probably the better team on the balance, but sometimes you get slightly outplayed and win, and it was about time that kind of thing bounced the Leafs' way.

That said, all this stuff about FINALLY and THIS IS WHAT THEY'VE BEEN WAITING FOR is a bit hard for me to swallow. I'm absolutely not trying to rain on anyone's parade but god, is this not the energy you expect from some perennial loser fanbase?

Obviously you have to say that t

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This article is about:
NHL Toronto Maple Leafs NHL Auston Matthews Ryan O'Reilly
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