Game 7 between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning in 2022 became one of the most painful playoff exits in recent Leafs history. Toronto had pushed the two time defending Stanley Cup champions all the way to a winner take all game after taking a 3 to 2 series lead. In Tampa, the Leafs battled through a tense, low scoring game, but Nicholas Paul eventually scored twice for the Lightning as Tampa eliminated Toronto 2 to 1.
One of the biggest talking points came when John Tavares appeared to tie the game, only for the goal to be waved off because Justin Holl was ruled to have interfered with the Tampa player. The call immediately became controversial because the contact was extremely minor, with Holl appearing to simply lose his balance and fall down rather than actually preventing the Tampa player from making a play. It was the kind of soft contact that fans often see go uncalled, which made the decision to blow the play dead in a winner take all Game 7 feel even more frustrating for Toronto fans.
Toronto eventually managed to tie the game with a legitimate goal from Morgan Rielly, but Tampa regained the lead and the Leafs could not find another equalizer. The loss became another devastating chapter in Toronto’s history of playoff heartbreak, especially because they had pushed an experienced Tampa team right to the edge. Years later, that disallowed Tavares goal is still remembered by Leafs fans as one of those moments where a single whistle became a huge part of the story. And the fact that Holl literally fell down on the play only makes the call look even more ridiculous in hindsight.
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and now nick paul is on the leafs lol