Toronto Maple Leafs Win First N.H.L. Playoff Series in 19 Years
TORONTO — The square outside the empty N.H.L. arena that is home to the Maple Leafs was jammed and jumping like a mosh pit on a damp, cold — even for Canadian springtime — Saturday night.
Far south in Tampa, Fla., center John Tavares scored in overtime against the Lightning to end an excruciating stretch of playoff futility for the Maple Leafs. Kyle Dubas, the team’s general manager, who has long been criticized for persisting with his underachieving roster, exploded to his feet in his arena box, jabbing the air like a prize fighter. Behind the bench, Coach Sheldon Keefe was mobbed by his assistants, and the players jettisoned their sticks, clambering over the boards and piling into their teammates on the ice.
Back in Toronto, near and far from the outdoor crowd watching the game on a ginormous screen, car horns bleated across this longtime playoff wasteland. Ah-onk! Ah-onk! Ah-onk!
The mob, some members of it screaming, some crying, some setting off fireworks, some suddenly shirtless, throbbed like a nightclub throng. A few dramatic celebrators climbed lamp posts, hanging by one hand and filming the scenes with the other.
Source: The New York Times
