Leafs clinch playoff berth with win over Pens; Frederik Andersen injured
Posted Apr 9, 2017 06:35:21 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TORONTO – The Toronto Maple Leafs are going back to the playoffs.
Connor Brown scored the go-ahead goal with less than three minutes left in regulation as the Leafs clinched their first playoff berth since 2013 with a 5-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night.
James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak, Kasperi Kapanen and Auston Matthews also scored for the Leafs and Curtis McElhinney stepped in for an injured Frederik Andersen with 12 saves.
The Leafs will play the Ottawa Senators in the first round of the playoffs if they pick up at least a point in their season finale against Columbus on Sunday.
Phil Kessel, Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel all scored for Pittsburgh, which sat a number of regulars in advance of the post-season. Marc-Andre Fleury gave up four goals on 30 shots.
It’s quite the turnaround for Toronto, both from last season and from the time of the last playoff berth four years earlier.
