'The curse is over': Leafs fans rejoice as team snaps 19-year playoff drought

It’s been 19 years since Toronto Maple Leafs fans have experienced a playoff series victory. They finally got their chance again on Saturday night as Toronto ended the NHL’s longest active drought without a postseason series triumph thanks to a 2-1 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 of the first-round matchup between Atlantic Division rivals.

Captain John Tavares scored the overtime winner to put the curse to bed.

The Maple Leafs had lost eight consecutive postseason series prior to Saturday's victory, with the slump dating all the way back to 2004. Toronto defeated the Ottawa Senators in seven games in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals that year, but then fell to the Philadelphia Flyers in six games to end their season.

Now, the Maple Leafs have written a new chapter and given this core its first taste of playoff success together. Their fans almost broke the internet following the series-clinching win on Saturday night, rejoicing that the Round 1 curse finally came to an end.

The Maple Leafs’ players will also have time to celebrate as they await the winner of the series between the Boston Bruins and the Florida Panthers. That matchup is headed for a do-or-die Game 7 on Sunday in Boston.