Maple Leafs' failure to close Game 7 among reasons for first-round loss

TORONTO -- The Toronto Maple Leafs could not complete a comeback from down 3-1 in the Eastern Conference First Round against the Boston Bruins.
The Maple Leafs were eliminated in Game 7 after allowing four goals in the third period of a 7-4 loss Wednesday.

"We're done," Toronto coach Mike Babcock said. "The bottom line is, we went out for the third period, they scored and we didn't. Once they scored, they tilted the rink and we didn't respond. It was like devastation instead of just keeping playing and executing in the third period."
RELATED: [Complete Bruins vs. Maple Leafs series coverage]
Toronto finished third in the Atlantic Division and set Maple Leafs records with 49 wins and 105 points. But they were eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second season in a row; they lost in six games to the Washington Capitals last year.
Here are 5 reasons the Maple Leafs were eliminated:

1. Could not close Game 7

The Maple Leafs led three times in Game 7, 1-0 and 2-1 in the first period and 4-3 to start the third. But Boston scored four times in the third, the first time this season Toronto allowed that many goals in the period.
"The bottom line is, we gave up six before the goalie got pulled (for an extra attacker). That's a lot," Maple Leafs defenseman Ron Hainsey said. "That means you've got to score seven and that's a tough chore, even though it seemed like it was certainly possible in the first half (of the game). We just couldn't hold the leads. We had three of them and couldn't hold them, especially there in the third."

2. Boston's top line

Though the Maple Leafs held Bruins center Patrice Bergeron, left wing Brad Marchand and right wing David Pastrnak without a point in the three games they won, Boston's top line proved to be too much for them to handle through seven games.
Bergeron, Marchand and Pastrnak combined for 30 points (nine goals, 21 assists) in Boston's four wins, including seven points (three goals, four assists) in Game 7.

3. Matthews not able to produce

Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews was not able to create offense at the same pace he did during the regular season, when he had 63 points (34 goals, 29 assists) in 62 games. In seven playoff games, he had two points (one goal, one assist).
"The first half of the series I probably wasn't good enough," Matthews said. "The next half, I had chances and did things right for the most part and just couldn't capitalize on opportunities. Sometimes that happens and that's the way it goes. It's frustrating, for sure."

4. Nightmare for Gardiner

Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Gardiner struggled in Game 7, with an NHL career-worst minus-5 rating. Bruins forward Jake DeBrusk victimized Gardiner on the game-winning goal, outracing him in the neutral zone before cutting inside and putting a shot between goaltender Frederik Andersen's legs.
"Personally I've got to be better," Gardiner said. "A lot of this game is on me. It's just not good enough, especially in a game like this. It's the most important game of the season and I didn't show up."
Gardiner, in his seventh NHL season, had had an NHL career high 52 points (five goals, 47 assists) and a plus-9 rating in 82 games, but his two points in the playoffs were assists and he was minus-6.

5. Defensive and goaltending struggles

The Maple Leafs never allowed more than six goals in a game and never lost by more than three during the regular season. They allowed seven goals in Games 2 and 7, and lost by four in Games 1 and 2. They were outshot 245-197 in the series.
Though Andersen was spectacular at times, making 40 saves in a 4-2 win in Game 3 and 42 saves in a 4-3 win in Game 5, he finished the series with a 3.76 goals-against average and .896 save percentage.