It didn't for Toronto's top line, unlike in the regular season, when Marner finished fourth in the NHL with 67 points (20 goals, 47 assists) in 55 games and Matthews was tied for fifth with 66 points (41 goals, 25 assists) in 52 games.
"It's a game of inches," Matthews said. "We were unable to capitalize. And obviously we're out there to capitalize."
On a night of emotions, no one showed more than Jack Campbell. The goalie, fighting tears, blamed himself as he often does, this time for the goal by Montreal forward Brendan Gallagher that opened the scoring at 3:02 of the second period.
It was a shot along the ice that Campbell normally stops. This time, it went between his legs.
"Worst goal of my career came in Game 7," Campbell said. "That's unacceptable."
Of the question marks the Maple Leafs face in the offseason, Campbell isn't one of them. With goalie Frederik Andersen a pending unrestricted free agent and not expected to be back, Campbell is likely going to be the No. 1 goalie next season.
Hyman, defenseman Zach Bogosian and forwards Joe Thornton, Wayne Simmonds, Jason Spezza, Alex Galchenyuk and Nick Foligno are among the other Maple Leafs who can become unrestricted free agents. Toronto is expected to attempt to re-sign Hyman; the futures of the rest remain cloudy. Whether Thornton and Spezza choose to retire remains to be seen.
The Maple Leafs weren't looking that far ahead after Game 7 though.
Asked what players were talking about in the locker room, Matthews put things in perspective.
"There wasn't really much to be said," he replied.