The Toronto Maple Leafs closed out 38 years in a fierce rivalry Saturday night.
The Leafs scored three second period goals as they beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-4 in the final game between these two bitter competitors at Joe Louis Arena. The arena is closing this season with the Red Wings moving to their new home, Little Caesars Arena, for the 2017-18 hockey season.
With every clash over the years between the Leafs and Wings, the arena was full of both red-and-white and blue-and-white jerseys. As a result, each goal scored produced a roar that sounded about the same in decibel level each time.
The Wings and Leafs have met each other in the playoffs three times during the Joe Louis Arena, with the Wings winning two of those series. The Leafs took the series in 1993, the most recent playoff meeting between these Original Six teams.
The win gives the Leafs at least 90 points on the regular season for the first time in 11 seasons. They currently sit tied for sixth with the Ottawa Senators in the Eastern Conference standings and continue to fight for a playoff spot. The Red Wings, however, are missing the playoffs for the first time in a quarter century.
The Red Wings did score first in the game, when Gustav Nyquist scored his 11th goal of the year for the only score in the opening period. Auston Matthews tied the game up within the first three minutes of the second period for his 37th goal of the year. Former London Knight Mitch Marner gave Toronto the lead later in the period and William Nylander extended the lead not long after, though Nick Jensen pulled Detroit back within one before the second intermission, a 3-2 Leafs lead.
Detroit tied the game up in the third period when Niklas Kronwall found the net at 14:41 in the closing frame. Toronto scored two more in succession to give themselves insurance, with goals from James van Riemsdyk and from Matthews. Mike Green did score for Detroit with goalie Jimmy Howard pulled but time ran out in regulation.
Howard had 22 saves for the Red Wings. Frederik Andersen stopped 38 shots for the win in net for the Leafs.
