Lightning Member Refuses to Credit Toronto for Beating them in the Playoffs

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TJ Tucker
August 1, 2023 (2:58 PM)

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For the first time in 19 years, the Toronto Maple Leafs made it to the second round of the playoffs in 2022-23. One of the players they defeated in the first round to do it appears to think it's no big deal and Toronto deserves no credit for it.

First Round

In a new interview in his home country of Russia, Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Mikhail Sergachev was very dismissive when asked about his team's loss to Toronto in the opening round.

Interviewer: "The series was pretty tough: you lost [Erik] Cernak, and [Viktor]Hedman missed one game. Did you get hurt a lot?"

Sergachev: "I don't want to give Toronto any pluses right now, they don't deserve them. Any playoff series is tough. The fact that someone got knocked out is a coincidence - wrong shoulder, bad fall."

Interviewer: "Why don't you want to give pluses to Toronto?"

Sergachev: "Well, why would I? I don't think they deserve them."

Interviewer: "They made it past the first round for the first time in 19 years!"

Sergachev: "Well done here, they made it past the first round, but they didn't make it any further. So I don't see any reason to be happy." - Sport24.ru

Despite not being in the NHL all that long, Sergachev already has two Stanley Cups with the Bolts, so he's a guy who is used to winning.