The visiting Tampa Bay Lightning and the Toronto Maple Leafs carry contrasting recent playoff histories into Game 7 of their first-round playoff series Saturday night.

The Lightning kept alive their hopes of a third straight Stanley Cup on Thursday when Brayden Point scored at 18:04 of overtime to give them a 4-3 victory in Game 6 at Tampa.

“Game 7s, as they say, flip a coin,” Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said. “You never know what’s going to happen. So (Point) gave us a chance with that big goal. It’s about wins this time of the year, and this group has proved that we don’t care how it gets done. We just want to get it done.”

The Maple Leafs, on the other hand, are trying to get past the first playoff round for the first time since 2004. They have failed in six attempts since.

Since 2018, the Leafs have lost eight consecutive games in which they had a chance to win a series. They lost Game 7 to the Boston Bruins in 2018; Games 6 and 7 to Boston in 2019; Game 5 in a best-of-five series in 2020 to the Columbus Blue Jackets; Games 5, 6 and 7 to the Montreal Canadiens in 2021; and Thursday’s Game 6 to Tampa Bay.

“We can’t change anything now,” said Auston Matthews, who scored Toronto’s first goal on Thursday. “It’s about this next game and going out there with the purpose and details and competing for 60 minutes or whatever it takes.”

The Lightning scored the first two goals Thursday as they did in losing Game 5 on Tuesday. Toronto took the lead Thursday when John Tavares scored twice within 26 seconds in the final minute of the second period.

Nikita Kucherov’s third-period goal tied the game when two high-sticking calls 16 seconds apart on David Kampf and Alexander Kerfoot gave the Lightning a two-man advantage.

Toronto questioned the call on Kampf when video showed that defenseman Cal Foote took the stick to his shoulder and not to his face.

“In that moment, it’s tough to take,” Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. “But I have the benefit of slow-motion replay, officials don’t, so they’re in a tough position. Certainly, it’s a tough one to take, but that’s the way the game goes.”

The Maple Leafs had opportunities to win, particularly in overtime when they had a 9-6 advantage in shots on goal and created the better scoring chances.

“Loved how we played in overtime,” Keefe said. “We attacked, we had chances, plenty of opportunities to finish it and really gave them nothing until they had the look. They made good on their one look. That’s the difference.”

Lightning coach Jon Cooper noted that Tampa Bay capitalized on its special-teams opportunities, which he considered a theme of the series.

“We (scored) a four-on-four goal, power-play goal, short-handed goal,” Cooper said. “It’s just been the tale of the series for both teams. We just won that war tonight.”

Now one winner-take-all game will decide whether the Maple Leafs will get the proverbial monkey off their backs or if the Lightning will extend their postseason mastery.

“They’re two-time Stanley Cup champions,” Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly said. “They know how to handle these situations. And we’re trying to break through.”

–Field Level Media

Win or go home.

The season will be on the line for both sides when the Carolina Hurricanes host the Boston Bruins in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference first-round series on Saturday in Raleigh, N.C.

The Bruins forced the deciding contest with a 5-2 win in Game 6 on Thursday in Boston.

“This is what you play for,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. “Guys should be excited. Game 7, Stanley Cup playoffs, home or road. I’d rather be at home, but we play where we play. I’d play on Mars if we had to.”

For Cassidy’s crew to knock out the Hurricanes, they’ll have to do something they have yet to accomplish thus far in the postseason — be victorious in Raleigh.

“We’ve got to win now one road game,” Cassidy said. “That’s what’s in front of us. We knew that when we started this series. We’d have to win a road game, at least one, if we wanted to advance. So here it is.”

Depth proved to be a strength for the Bruins in Game 6, with four of the five goals coming from someone other than their usual go-to scorers, Brad Marchand and captain Patrice Bergeron.

“You always want to help out and produce, but you just want to play the right way,” said Charlie Coyle, who had a goal and an assist and sits tied for second on the team in postseason scoring. “That’s all it is, no matter who you’re playing with.

“We got a lot of contributions from different guys (Thursday). … We’re just glad we got the job done.”

Carolina hopes the trend of home-ice advantage, which has factored into each side skating away victorious in their own rinks, continues for Saturday’s tilt.

“Everybody is obviously excited about it. It’s do or die,” goalie Antti Raanta said. “With how the series has been, home teams have been successful. We’re hoping that we can keep that going and get the energy from the crowd.”

Stronger play on special teams at home has been key for the Hurricanes. After going 0-for-3 on the power play in the series opener, Carolina went 4-for-14 (28.6 percent) in Games 2 and 5. At the other end, the Hurricanes’ penalty killers have held the Bruins to one goal on 11 opportunities through three games in Raleigh.

“You need everyone playing detailed hockey and limiting your mistakes as best you can,” captain Jordan Staal said. “And obviously just trusting in our game. Those are all the things we faltered at (Thursday). We have to come out in Game 7 with an effort that we obviously need to beat this team.”

The Hurricanes are looking for more from their top-end talent, who have struggled to produce as the series has progressed. Andrei Svechnikov scored both goals on Thursday, his first tallies since Game 1.

Sebastian Aho had two assists in Game 5 but hasn’t scored since striking twice in Game 2.

“We say it all the time, but we’ve got to get everyone going,” coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “Let’s just be blunt. If you play poorly here, then you’re going to be in trouble. It was nice to see (Svechnikov) get a couple, but we need everybody to be ready to roll next game.”

–Field Level Media