Playoffs in Brief: The Leafs Wanted Nothing to Do with the 2026 Playoffs’ Most Valuable Player
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Last night, the CH won the crucial Game 5.
The Golden Knights and the Ducks were also facing off.
Vegas had the chance to eliminate Anaheim in six games, and thanks to a 5-1 victory, John Tortorella's team will face off against the Avalanche in the next round.
The @GoldenKnights are headed to the 2026 Western Conference Final and the @CanadiensMTL are headed back to Bell Centre with a 3-2 series lead. #StanleyCup#NHLStats: https://t.co/buDeLRKkr5 pic.twitter.com/5PAcokYjTZ
— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) May 15, 2026
Mitch Marner is one of the best forwards in the playoffs.
Yesterday (and throughout the series against the Ducks), he put on a show. The first goal of the game was a real doozy.
MITCH MARNER YOU ARE A BAAAAAD MAN
pic.twitter.com/upW9Jk8JzF
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) May 15, 2026
Then, he set up his teammate perfectly.
A shorthanded goal.
“THAT'S HOCKEY BABY!”
#StanleyCup
What a pass by Mitch Marner to Brett Howden! The @GoldenKnights lead 2-0!
: @NHL_On_TNT
: @Sportsnet & @TVASports pic.twitter.com/f7znDlv1eB
— NHL (@NHL) May 15, 2026
To think the Leafs didn't want anything to do with him when they let him go… He finished with 11 points, including five goals in the second round.
What a blunder!
Shea Theodore put the exclamation point on the first period with his team's third goal.
Theodore just WALKS INTO a wrister to make it 3-0
pic.twitter.com/8KeWkWrCjW
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 15, 2026
Vegas never looked back after that.
The team will now face the Avalanche in the Western Conference Finals. That series kicks off Wednesday at 8 p.m. in Colorado.
After the game, Marner begged the media to hurry up, since his bus was leaving in 10 minutes.
He didn't want to be left behind in California.
Mitch Marner and Brett Howden were worried that John Tortorella and the bus were going to leave them at the arena
pic.twitter.com/mgokDqjiH6
— BarDown (@BarDown) May 15, 2026
Speaking of the media, John Tortorella didn't even speak to them. That's rare to see.
In fact, Vegas didn't grant access to its locker room. Weird…
John Tortorella declined to speak with the media after advancing to the Western Conference finals.
The Golden Knights also didn't open the locker room after the game. They brought one player into a side room to speak, along with the two who spoke at the podium.
I've been…
— Jesse Granger (@JesseGranger_) May 15, 2026
Overtime
– Great season for the young Ducks.
Ducks players stay on the ice to thank their fans after SMASHING expectations this season with their young core
pic.twitter.com/gQpSmzPK2I
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 15, 2026
– The series is almost over.
– Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky are leading the charge.
– There will be no NHL games tonight. The Canadiens and the Sabres will face off in Montreal tomorrow, with Buffalo facing elimination. If Montreal wins, the series against the Hurricanes will begin on Tuesday.
If Lindy Ruff's team forces a Game 7, the Eastern Conference Finals will begin on Thursday, the day after the first game of the Western Conference Finals.
