Toronto Maple Leafs vs Tampa Bay Lightning: What happened last time they met in NHL playoffs? 

As the Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs prepare to face off in the first round of the 2023 NHL playoffs, it's worth taking a look at the playoff history between the two teams.

Despite being in different divisions, the Lightning and Maple Leafs have met in the playoffs on four occasions, with the Lightning holding a 3-1 series record.

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Playoff history of Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs

The first playoff meeting between these teams came in 2002, when the Maple Leafs won their first two games of the series at home.

However, the Lightning responded with four straight wins, including two overtime victories, to take the series and advance to the second round. Tampa Bay was led by goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin, who posted a .940 save percentage in the series.

The two teams met again in the first round of the 2018 playoffs, with the Lightning ending the regular season as the top team in the Eastern Conference. Tampa Bay dominated the series, winning in five games and outscoring Toronto 20-13. Nikita Kucherov led the Lightning with five goals and five assists in the series, while goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy posted a .921 save percentage.

The most recent playoff meeting between the two teams came in the first round of the 2022 playoffs, with the Tampa Bay Lightning once again coming out on top. Tampa Bay won the series in seven games, winning the final two games of the series convincingly with their backs against the wall, with Kucherov once again leading the way. Vasilevskiy was outstanding in the series too, extending the Maple Leafs' losing streak in the playoffs.

So what can we expect from this year's matchup? The Tampa Bay Lightning are once again one of the top teams in the league, ending the regular season with a 46-30-6 record. The Lightning haven’t shown the same playoff fitness and dominance that they have in previous years, but that could all change.

The Maple Leafs, meanwhile, are looking to overcome their recent playoff struggles and make a deep run. Led by Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, Toronto ended the regular season with a 50-21-1 record. The Maple Leafs acquired Ryan O’Reilly to help boost their overall playoff experience. The Maple Leafs are now primed to break their first-round exit streak.

While the Maple Leafs may have the edge on paper, playoff hockey can be unpredictable, and the Tampa Bay Lightning have the talent and experience to make this a long and competitive series. It should be an exciting matchup between two talented teams with plenty of playoff experience.