The Stanley Cup Playoffs can sometimes bring the worst out of players and fans alike. Such was the case on Thursday during the Toronto Maple Leafs' 7-2 thrashing of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Midway through Toronto's blowout, a Leafs' fan, nice enough to wear yellow to stand out, got into a shouting match with Lightning forward Tanner Jeannot. The fan attempted to climb the penalty box glass as the confrontation intensified. Soon after, security ejected the fan from the arena.
A Maple Leafs fan started messing with Tanner Jeannot in the penalty box pic.twitter.com/hXEsQihbtS
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 21, 2023
Dude in yellow getting escorted out. He climbed the glass before this clip to yell at Jeannot. Woman in 22 banging heavily on glass earlier too, now being talked to by security pic.twitter.com/zaEFkHD5eo
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) April 21, 2023
Thursday's incident isn't the first time the Maple Leafs have found themselves involved in a situation involving a fan, the penalty box and aggression. In 2001, the roles reversed when Tie Domi fought off a Philadelphia Flyers fan, who busted through the glass and into the sin bin after the notorious Maple Leafs' tough guy.
As for Thursday's game, Toronto exploded for six goals over the first two periods, running away with things early.
John Tavares led the Maple Leafs' charge, notching his first career playoff hat trick. Tavares became only the fourth Maple Leafs' player to record a hatter in the postseason over the last 30 seasons, joining Alexander Mogilny (2003), Mike Gartner (1996) and Wendel Clark (1993), per the NHL's PR department.
John Tavares puts up his first career Stanley Cup Playoffs hatty! pic.twitter.com/r3fmi4waSu
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 21, 2023
Meanwhile, Mitch Marner lit the lamp twice, while William Nylander and Zach Aston-Reese finished with a goal apiece in the win.
Now tied at 1-1, the series moves to Tampa Bay for the next two games. The Lightning will host the Maple Leafs for Game 3 Saturday at 7 p.m. EST.
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