Maple Leafs 'sick and tired' of coming up short in playoffs

They've been eliminated in the opening round the past six seasons, including losing a deciding game in each of the past five.This time, they went toe-to-toe with the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday."This one hurts more, because this was a really good team that really played hard," Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. Lightning series coverage] Keefe said based on the fact that the Maple Leafs were so close against the Lightning, who knows what might have happened had they been able to win the series."This one's tough," Keefe said, "because I feel we're a lot closer than it appears."The Maple Leafs blew away team records for wins (54) and points (115) in the regular season, finishing fourth in the NHL standings. They had their first 60-goal scorer in center Auston Matthews.But they played in such a difficult division, the Atlantic, that they finished second to the Florida Panthers, who won the Presidents' Trophy as the NHL's top regular-season team.As a result, their reward was a first-round matchup with the Lightning, who are trying to become the first team to win the Stanley Cup in three straight seasons since the New York Islanders won it in four straight from 1980-83.The series was back-and-forth, with the teams alternating wins through the first six games, and Game 7 was a coin flip.In situations like this, attention often turns to a team's top players, especially the offensive forwards. I think it's just a fine line."If you're looking for reasons the Maple Leafs lost the series, they're little things, like two turnovers and a penalty that led to Lightning goals in a 4-3 overtime loss in Game 6, like a penalty that nullified a goal by Tavares in Game 7, like missed opportunities against a tough opponent.The shot attempts were 73-45, Toronto, in Game 7.