Tampa Bay won the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021 before losing in six games to the Colorado Avalanche in the Final last season.
"This team hasn't lost a playoff series in the Eastern Conference since 2019. It's 2023, we're not used to this feeling," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "But like I said, I think there's 31 other teams in the League that would love to have our history here in the last 10 years, five years, three years.
"That's why this is difficult. Usually we're on the other side of this press conference and I'm going second as the winning coach."
That didn't happen, though, after Tampa Bay lost its third straight overtime game at home to the Maple Leafs. Although the Lightning rallied in the third period this time after blowing leads in Games 3 and 4, their bid to force a Game 7 ended when John Tavares' spinning shot deflected in off the skate of defenseman Darren Raddysh at 4:36.
Tampa Bay is 1-10 in its past 11 playoff overtime games.
"Statistics say they were the better team than us, but do I sit here and think we really could have done anything different to change the tide? No," Cooper said. "We played well enough to win this series. I think anyone that watched this series would agree with that, but you can't lose three overtime games at home."
RELATED: [Complete Maple Leafs vs. Lightning series coverage]
Prior to Tavares' goal, the Lightning had the best opportunity in overtime when forward Michael Eyssimont skated all alone into the left circle and had his shot stopped by the pad of Ilya Samsonov at 1:51.
Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said that chance was indicative of how the series went for them.
"I just thought we missed some opportunities in this series," Stamkos said. "Missed opportunities to win on home ice, missed opportunities to score some goals to put them away. You lose three games at home in that fashion, in three overtimes, you're probably not going to win the series."
Which is something the Lightning aren't that accustomed to doing of late.
"It comes down to winning hockey games, and we didn't get that done," defenseman Victor Hedman said. "You don't really know how to feel. It's an empty feeling. To come up short in the first round is not a good feeling."
