Tavares’s OT goal and Maple Leafs clinch the 2nd round in the East

John Tavares notched the winning goal after less than 5 minutes in the overtime to help Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Game 6 after OT at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL, and the Canadian club will play in the 2^nd round of the playoffs in the Eastern Conference.

NOT. DONE. YET.@LGCanada | #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/wtXVM7ZpCR

— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 30, 2023

The Canadian franchise won all 3 of the matches in Tampa after overtime and ended the 11-match losing streak in elimination clashes. As a result, they made it to the 2^nd round of the playoffs for the 1^st time since 2004, as Maple Leafs were eliminated in their 1^st matchup in the postseason in the last 6 years.

GAME WINNER!
SERIES WINNER!

LET’S. GO. LEAFS. NATION!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/dkttq8eBpW

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— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 30, 2023

Lightning elimination means that the Floridian team will miss the Stanley Cup Final, as they reached it in the last 3 seasons. Tampa Bay won the championship in 2020 and 21 but lost the final last year to Colorado Avalanche.

Auston Matthews notched the other goal for Toronto as the only goal for the Bolts had Steven Stamkos.

Toronto Maple Leafs will face the winner of the Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers that will play Game 7 tomorrow.