Leafs' Auston Matthews over Toronto's playoff woes: 'Four years in a row is a little bit embarrassing'
Toronto has not advanced in the. playoffs since knocking off Ottawa in Game 7 of a 2004 first-round series
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. Leafs fans are all too familiar with the feeling.
The Toronto Maple Leafs' playoff hopes came to an unfortunate end for the fourth year in a row after they were eliminated from the qualifying rounds last week in a 3-2 series loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Toronto has dropped from the playoffs in the first round for the last three years, and prior to that they didn’t qualify at all between 2013 and 2016.
After coming in as the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference's qualifying round, hopes were high for the Leafs but star forward Auston Matthews says it’s not enough.
“Having a good regular season isn't cutting it anymore,” Matthews, who was the No. 3 goal scorer in the league during the regular season, told the Toronto Sun on Wednesday.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}HORVAT SCORES TWICE, CANUCKS BEAT BLUES 5-2 IN SERIES OPENER
“We have to figure out the playoffs. Four years in a row is a little bit embarrassing.”
The Leafs were shut out in Game 5 by the Blue Jackets after a disappointing performance by the offense. Captain John Tavares misfired by hitting the post while facing a wide-open side in the first period. Frederik Andersen stopped 19 shots but was caught cheating to his right in giving up Liam Foudy's goal from a bad angle.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“It's hard to put it all into words,” defenseman Morgan Rielly said after Toronto was eliminated.
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This was the franchise's fifth playoff appearance since the 2004-05 NHL lockout. Toronto has not advanced since knocking off Ottawa in Game 7 of a 2004 first-round series.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Associated Press contributed to this report.