TORONTO — Two teams took the ice Saturday in Toronto, one with nothing to play for, another oozing with desperation.
In recent years, the Penguins were typically the more desperate team, while the Maple Leafs were mere hours away from honing their golf games.
Not so this time.
The Maple Leafs dominated the game for the first two periods and scored twice in the final six minutes to leave Air Canada Centre with a 5-3 victory and their first playoff berth since 2012-13, their second in the past 12 years.
Connor Brown scored the game-winner on a deflection at 17:12 after former Penguin Kasperi Kapanen picked up his first NHL goal at 14:30 courtesy of a no-look pass from Matt Hunwick.