Dramatic win at raucous ACC seals first playoff spot since 2013
Maple Leafs fans were once promised pain.
On Saturday, the fans had a feeling of ecstasy.
Kasperi Kapanen scored his first NHL goal to tie the game, Connor Brown scored his 20th to win it, and Curtis McElhinney shone in relief of injured starter Frederik Andersen as the Maple Leafs beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-3 to clinch a playoff berth on Saturday night.
Auston Matthews also scored his 40th, into an empty net, to set off a frenzy at the Air Canada Centre as the Leafs guaranteed a spot in the post-season for the first time since 2013.
“It’s huge,” said Brown, who deflected home a Jake Gardiner shot for the winner. “You play to win, and you play to give yourselves a chance to win the Stanley Cup. To give ourselves a chance — especially where this team came from in under a year — it’s pretty awesome to be a part of.”
The Leafs were dead last a year ago, Mike Babcock’s first as coach. Upon his arrival, he promised it would be a painfully long rebuild. Last year certainly was painful, with fans tuning out across the country. No Canadian teams made the playoffs.
This year, the Leafs make it five entries from north of the border — joining Ottawa, Montreal, Edmonton and Calgary.
This season’s success certainly arrived faster than expected, spurred by the drafting of Matthews first overall.
With a remarkable 40 goals to his credit, he is just about a lock to win the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year.
“It means everything,” Matthews said of making the playoffs. “It’s been our goal since the beginning of the year, to make it.
“We’ve done better each game, each segment, each month. That’s been the goal for everybody. It’s a big night for us, a huge clinch.”
It’s in the DNA of the Maple Leafs to do things the hard way, though. Game 81 of the 82-game regular season was shaping up that way.
Phil Kessel scored, the ex-Leaf laughing as he did.
Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby scored his 44th in pursuit of the Rocket Richard Trophy.
The Leafs’ top goalie, Andersen, was removed early in the second period with a possible concussion.
Jake Gardiner kicked the puck into his own net to give Pittsburgh a 3-2 lead.
If anything could go wrong, it did, at least early — including wins by Tampa on Friday and the New York Islanders earlier Saturday that kept both teams in pursuit.
Then a series of unlikely events created some unlikely heroes.
Kapanen, the prospect acquired from the Penguins for Kessel two summers ago, scored his first NHL goal and the Leafs had life.
“It’s something special,” said Kapanen. “Can’t be a better time to score than to tie it up against your old club.”
Brown then deflected a shot by Gardiner, making up for his mistake earlier.
“That’s a night I’ll remember for a long time,” said Brown. “It’s cool it came off my stick.”
And with the score 4-3 and the Penguins pulling the goalie for an extra attacker, McElhinney stonewalled Crosby’s one-timer. Matthews then salted away the win.
“A good win for our team, a good win for our city,” said Babcock. Even Kessel agreed. “They needed the game more,” said Kessel. “The (Toronto) fans are excited. It’s nice they made the playoffs.”
It’s fitting that three rookies scored the final three goals, but veterans did their part. Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk also scored. Van Riemsdyk, in particular, has a standout game.
“Looking at the here and now, it’s exciting,” said van Riemsdyk. “We have an exciting team. It’s an exciting day for us.”
The Leafs wrap up the regular season at home against the Blue Jackets on Sunday, with their playoff opponent — the Sens or Caps — unsettled.