Leafs Rally Past Red Wings in Dramatic Regular-Season Finale
What a night at Scotiabank Arena as the Toronto Maple Leafs closed out their regular season with a thrilling 4-3 overtime win over the Detroit Red Wings. Honestly, it had everything you'd want in a game — intensity, drama, a comeback, and even a little nostalgia. Though the playoff matchups were already locked in, both teams still came out swinging, especially with a full crowd and playoff energy in the air.
Right out of the gate, Detroit looked sharp. Jonatan Berggren, Dylan Larkin, and Lucas Raymond were buzzing up front. Patrick Kane was still doing Patrick Kane things, showing off his vision and slick puck control, and Alex DeBrincat added some bite too, grabbing one of the goals. Justin Holl, facing his former Leafs squad, made his presence known with a goal and an assist — definitely a "remember me?" kind of night for him.
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But the Leafs, even down 3-1 going into the third, were never out of it. That third period comeback? Pure grit. Auston Matthews — as clutch as ever — got the ball rolling, followed by Philippe Myers. And then, just when it looked like Detroit might hold on, Chris Tanev stepped up and tied it with a jaw-dropping goal with only 1.8 seconds left on the clock. You could feel the building erupt.
Then came overtime — fast, frantic, and finished quickly thanks to Scott Laughton, who buried the game-winner just 56 seconds in. The win doesn’t shift the standings, but it's a huge morale booster as Toronto gears up for the playoffs. They’ve officially clinched the Atlantic Division and will now face off against the Ottawa Senators in what promises to be a fiery Battle of Ontario.
Joseph Woll was solid in net for Toronto, stopping 31 shots, while Cam Talbot had a lighter workload for Detroit with 16 saves. Mitch Marner did his thing with two slick assists, and the Leafs played like a team that’s been waiting for this moment all season. Head coach Craig Berube confirmed that a few key injured players — McCabe, Ekman-Larsson, and Kampf — should be ready to go for Game 1, which only adds more firepower to an already deep lineup.
As for the Red Wings, it's a tough pill to swallow. Despite a valiant effort and a step forward this season, they’ve now missed the playoffs for the ninth straight year — a far cry from their glory days of 25 consecutive postseason appearances. That said, there are clear signs of progress, and with young talent like Kasper, Raymond, and Seider in the mix, Detroit's future doesn’t look so bleak.
All in all, a perfect warm-up for Toronto and a bittersweet end for Detroit. Now, the real games begin — and for the Leafs, the path to Lord Stanley goes through Ottawa. Buckle up.
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