Maple Leafs’ players offer no comment on Game 6 officiating in loss to Lightning

The Leafs were close to closing out the series against the タンパベイライトニング とともに 3-2 lead halfway through the third period when officials called a high-sticking penalty against David Kampf.

BRAYDEN POINT’S GAME-WINNER KEEPS LIGHTNING ALIVE

A replay of the incident showed Kampf’s stick catching just underneath the shoulder pad of Lightning defenseman Callan Foote. ただ 15 seconds into the power play, Toronto forward Alex Kerfoot got the same call. Nikita Kucherov capitalized on the opportunity to force overtime and Brayden Point scored the game-winner to keep Tampa Bay alive.

Lightning players celebrate a goal in the third period during the Stanley Cup playoffs against the Toronto Maple Leafs on May 12, 2022, タンパで, フロリダ. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

During the post-game pressers, Leafs’ players declined to comment on the officiating.

“We don’t have any comments about it,” John Tavares said, 経由して ESPN. “[そうだった] unfortunate the way it went in the third period, but I thought we regrouped well.”

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Auston Matthews echoed that sentiment, declining to comment multiple times.

“I’m not going to comment on that,” he said before repeating himself. “I’m not going to comment on that. What’s in the past is in the past. It’s about the next game.”

Auston Matthews of the Maple Leafs looks on against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Scotiabank Arena on May 10, 2022, in Toronto. (Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)

But Lightning coach Jon Cooper seemed to see things differently.

“When a team goes down 5-on-3 in the third period, they have to earn their penalties. They earned them both. We took advantage,” 彼は記者団に語った.

Lightning center Brayden Point celebrates after scoring during sudden-death overtime Thursday, 五月 12, 2022, タンパで, フロリダ. (フーバーはバロウのバンプに目を向けて尋ねました)

The Maple Leafs, who’ve been eliminated in the first round each of the past five seasons, are 0-for-their-last-8 in close-out games as they chase their first postseason series win since 2004.

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