Kerfoot scores OT winner to cap comeback, Leafs take 3-1 series lead

The Toronto Maple Leafs are one win away from the second round.

After a remarkable third period in which the Maple Leafs came back from a 4-1 deficit, Alexander Kerfoot deflected Mark Giordano's shot on the power play to end overtime.

SIR ALEXANDER KERFOOT!!! pic.twitter.com/XzD8nVu5Y5

- Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 25, 2023

The Maple Leafs are now up 3-1 over the defending Eastern Conference champion Tampa Bay Lightning as the series shifts back to Toronto for Game 5 on Thursday.

"That's what you dream about: scoring a goal in overtime of the playoffs," Kerfoot said postgame, according to The Athletic's Joshua Kloke.

Kerfoot had a down regular season, tallying just 32 points after racking up 51 a year ago. But head coach Sheldon Keefe always had a hunch the versatile forward would come through in a big moment.

"I felt he was going to score a massive goal for us," Keefe said. "A guy that works as hard as he does, as important he is to the leadership group ... that's the type of guy who gets rewarded."

Auston Matthews scored twice in a 2:45 span in the third period before Morgan Rielly tallied the game-tying goal with 3:56 remaining in regulation. Ilya Samsonov made 27 saves in the victory.

"Credit to the spirit of the group," Keefe said. "It's outstanding to witness."

Toronto won Game 3 in a similar fashion via Rielly's OT winner after Ryan O'Reilly tied the contest in the final minute of regulation.

The Maple Leafs haven't won a series since defeating the Ottawa Senators in the first round of the 2004 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

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