SHELDON KEEFE

The NHL is wrapping up the first round of the playoffs with a rare treat.

The physicality of the NHL playoffs is creeping into the crease.

Michael Bunting had three goals, Rasmus Sandin scored the tiebreaker with 2:51 remaining and the Toronto Maple Leafs rallied for five unanswered goals in the third period to beat the Detroit Red Wings 7-4.

The NHL pushed back its return from an already extended holiday break an extra day by postponing its entire 14-game Monday schedule for COVID-19 testing reasons.

Postseason experience can be a valuable asset in the NHL playoffs.

Toronto captain John Tavares was removed from the ice on a stretcher and taken to a hospital after a collision early in Game 1 of the Maple Leafs’ 2-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night.

Vegas Golden Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury has stopped 63 of 65 shots from the Minnesota Wild over the first two games of their West Division playoff series.

TORONTO, ONT Auston Matthews and John Tavares scored and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-0 on Tuesday to even their best-of-five qualifying series at one game. Five Leafs power plays helped keep the Blue Jackets on their heels. Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno was just as disappointed. ... Blue Jackets D Dean Kukan left the bench for observation in the first period after a big hit by Toronto's Kyle Clifford but returned later in the period. That also was the first playoff shutout in Blue Jackets history.

TORONTO (AP) The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired head coach Mike Babcock and replaced him with Sheldon Keefe. Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan flew to Arizona on Wednesday to break the news to Babcock along with general manager Kyle Dubas. Shanahan, Dubas and Keefe were all scheduled to speak with the media Thursday morning. Babcock was unable to get Toronto past the Boston Bruins the last two springs, losing both series in seven games. We talk a lot, Dubas said at the start of training camp.