Chaos erupts in Toronto streets after Leafs win series with Senators
The Toronto Maple Leafs haven't given their fans a ton of playoff performances to celebrate in recent history, so when they got the chance on Thursday, fans took full advantage.
The Leafs beat the Ottawa Senators 4-2 to wrap up their first-round Battle of Ontario. While the game took place in Ottawa, there were plenty of fans going wild in Toronto after the big win.
After so many heartbreaks over the years, Maple Leafs fans waited until the very end to start their celebration. William Nylander scored an empty-net goal with less than a minute remaining to finish the Senators off, which sent fans in Toronto into bedlam.
The fans watching on the big screen at Maple Leaf Square were jubilant as the clock hit zero.
The Leafs were ahead 3-0 in this series, but the Senators came back to make it interesting. It was reminiscent of years past when they couldn't finish the job in the playoffs, so when they got it done on Thursday, fans went nuts.
People were jumping, yelling, screaming, and waving their towels as the sea of blue erupted after Nylander's goal. The Swedish star scored twice as the Leafs' star players showed up in a major way in Game 6.
The celebration then poured out of Maple Leaf Square into the streets of Toronto. Fans were climbing on top of each other and having a great time.
There were lots of chants, including fans yelling "Go Leafs Go!"
This is only the second time the Leafs have advanced out of the first round in the last 20 years. The other was in 2023 when they subsequently lost to the Florida Panthers in five games.
While Leafs fans will surely savour this series win, the second round starts shortly, and they're facing off against the Panthers again. The Panthers made quick work of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round.
The Panthers are the defending Stanley Cup champions and added infamous Leafs nemesis Brad Marchand at the trade deadline. It should be an exciting series between two of the best remaining teams.
The Leafs haven't made the third round since 2002, so if they can knock off the Panthers, the fans will go even more nuts than they did on Thursday.
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