Here’s everything you need to know about Game 5: While puck drop is still two hours away, fans have started to gather, pumped to watch the Leafs take on the Tampa Bay Lightning in what would be a historic night if Toronto wins. Gates have opened at Maple Leaf Square, where the team is hosting an outdoor viewing party for Game 5.

The defencemen are McCabe, Giordano, Rielly, Brodie, Holl and Schenn. The forwards are Jarnkook, Knies, Kerfoot, Aston-Reese, Matthews, Tavares, O’Reilly, Kampf, Nylander, Marner, Acciari and Lafferty. The Leafs tweet their lineup for tonight’s game. With a 3-1 series lead, the Leafs could win their first playoff series in nearly two decades. Game 5 between the Leafs and Lightning gets underway. Six minutes into the first period, Morgan Rielly gives the Leafs an early 1-0 lead with an assist from Matthew Knies and John Tavares. It didn't take long for Tampa to tie the game with Anthony Cirelli, assisted by Brandon Hagel and Nick Perbix, scoring 25 seconds later. Michael Eyssimont opens the scoring in the second period, giving Tampa the lead 2-1.Īfter the first period, the Leafs and the Lightning are tied 1-1. The Leafs trail the Lightning 2-1 after 40 minutes of play. Mitch Marner on a breakaway with a chance to tie the game in the third period denied by Vasilevskiy. Nicholas Paul, assisted by Ross Colton and Eyssimont, scores Tampa’s third goal of the game. With four minutes remaining in the game, Toronto pulls out Samsonov. Matthews scores Toronto’s second goal of the game. Leafs take advantage of having six players to cut the lead 3-2. Morgan Rielly and Auston Matthews scored the Leafs' two goals tonight. The Lightning have defeated the Maple Leafs 4-2, forcing a Game 6 on Saturday in Tampa Bay. Here’s a recap of what happened in Game 5: They had a chance to get that victory on Thursday night at Scotiabank Arena but Tampa had other plans, forcing a Game 6 with a 4-2 win. Up 3-1 in their best-of-seven playoff series, Toronto needs just one more victory to eliminate the Tampa Bay Lightning and get out of the first round for the first time since 2004.

Once again, the Leafs are on the precipice. They’ve been one win away from advancing in the post season in each of those years, only to lose in heartbreaking fashion in a series-deciding game. So close, yet so far, is a phrase that nicely sums up the last five years of playoff hockey for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Trail of lightning