Jake Muzzin scores the first goal of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs

The Toronto Maple Leafs have scored the first goal of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Fittingly, it was 2014 Stanley Cup champion @Jake Muzzin who beat Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender @Andrei Vasilevskiy from distance to give the Leafs a 1–0 lead late in the first period of Monday’s Game 1 at Scotiabank Arena.

Muzzin’s 10th career playoff goal came at the 18:19 mark of the opening frame and was assisted by @Ondrej Kase and @Ilya Mikheyev.

With the Boston Bruins and Carolina Hurricanes still locked in a scoreless draw early in the second period of their Game 1, Muzzin’s goal was the first scored by an NHL team in the 2022 post-season.

Muzzin, 33, scored three goals and 14 points in 47 regular-season games this season, his fourth as a member of the Maple Leafs. In 66 career playoff contests, Muzzin has 10 goals and 26 points.

The 6’3″, 222-lb. left-handed defenceman amassed 12 points (six goals, six assists) in 26 games with the Kings en route to winning the 2014 Stanley Cup over the New York Rangers.

After an excellent period which saw them successfully kill a five-minute major penalty to @Kyle Clifford, the Leafs lead the Lightning 1–0 in the second intermission. Toronto outshot Tampa Bay 8–5 in the first 20 minutes of play.

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