Download Tampa Bay Lightning 20

The Toronto Maple Leafs are gearing up for a thrilling Game 2 in their playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. In an effort to bounce back from their lackluster performance in Game 1, defenseman Morgan Rielly emphasized the importance of starting strong and executing at a higher level.

'We expect to have a better start, perform at a higher level, execute be more intense,' Rielly said in a pre-game interview.

The Leafs held an optional morning skate on Thursday, with some players expressing their excitement for the challenge ahead. Go time indeed!

As the puck dropped at Scotiabank Arena and Maple Leafs Square, the energy was palpable, with fans clad in Leafs jerseys filling every corner of the venue. The home team got off to a flying start, with Mitch Marner scoring the first goal just 47 seconds into the game, assisted by Rielly.

John Tavares followed up with another goal, also assisted by Rielly, and William Nylander rounded out the period's scoring, giving the Leafs a commanding 3-0 lead after 20 minutes of play. The Lightning managed to get on the board late in the period, courtesy of Ian Cole, but it was clear that this was Toronto's game to lose.

The second period saw Tavares score his second goal of the night, and Zachary Aston-Reese added a fifth goal for the Leafs, assisted by David Kampf and Sam Lafferty. Marner then sealed the deal with his second goal of the night, bringing the final score to 6-1 in favor of Toronto.

The Maple Leafs' performance was nothing short of dominant, with 12 shots on goal compared to Tampa's eight. As they look ahead to Game 2, Rielly's words will undoubtedly echo through their minds: 'We expect to have a better start, perform at a higher level, execute be more intense.' Bring it on!

Download tampa bay lightning 20