May 1, 2026

[SharksGM]

Homepage, Schedule & Results, League Save File

May 1, time for labour action! Or three potential elimination games in the East, at least.

First, in Toronto, the Leafs look to advance to the Battle of Ontario against the playoff-hardened Bolts. The crowd cheers on a goal just 76 seconds in, and then another shorthanded at 4:33. Grizzled veteran Mike Richards scores his first of the playoffs early in the second. TOR heads into the third with a 3-0 lead, but fans are biting their nails after Stefan Matteau and Otto Stenberg get TB within 1 just after the 7 minute mark. However, the Lightning fail to strike a third time despite pulling Varlamov and the Leafs pull off a 4-2 series win.

Next, in the Garden State, it's the visitors who take a 2-0 lead in the first thanks to slightly vopatized Brian Hart and youthfully vigorous Zachary L'Heureux. However, the Devils come... bedeviling back? with three goals in the second, and an early insurance tally from Gabe Perreault in the third. Michael Dal Colle answers back shortly thereafter and we have another one-goal lead with 11+ minutes to go. The end result is the same, though - the Rangers pull the disappointing Jake Oettinger with two minutes to spare but fail to tie it up, so NJ ties the series up 3-3 and we will head to a second game 7.

Lastly in Montreal, Habs fans are treated to a see-saw battle with a 1st period lead. In the second, PIT takes a 2-1 lead and then gives it up for a 3-2 MTL lead before Alex Debrincat evens it all up at 3 going into the third. Sadly for the home crowd, Yak City's 4th goal of the playoffs at 53:08 is the last of the game. The Habs pull Bednar with 1:40 to go but are also unable to score with the goalie pulled. Despite their best efforts to win it for Ovi, PIT wins the series 4-2 and will face the winner of NYR/NJ.

[TBGM - Geoff]

Well shit. Congrats to the Leafs I suppose.