Maple Leafs’ Kyle Clifford ejected from Game 1 vs. Lightning over dirty hit

Maple Leafs forward Kyle Clifford hit the showers early after a questionable decision in Game 1. (Photo by Gerry Angus/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

It wouldn’t be a first-round series involving the Toronto Maple Leafs without some drama right out of the gate.

In the opening period of Game 1 against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday, the team was clearly pumped for the opportunity to show some physicality. So much so that fourth-liner Kyle Clifford threw a dangerous and unnecessary hit on Lightning winger Ross Colton.

After some conversation among league officials, Clifford was punished with a five-minute major boarding penalty and a game misconduct, leaving his total playing time for the first game of this much-anticipated series at 49 seconds.

Luckily, for every nervous Leafs fan, the team was able to get all the jitters out and kill off the entire five minutes without allowing a Lightning goal.

This might have been the plan all along, even though Clifford crossed the line. On Sunday, Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe set the tone and said he was preparing for a series full of physicality and even violence.

“They are a team that is going to be very physical and competitive,” the Leafs coach said. “When I look at their playoffs — especially in the first round last year — they definitely led the league in skirmishes after the whistle. I expect it to be a very physical, borderline violent series in a lot of ways. Our guys will be ready for that.”

That’s foreshadowing if I’ve ever seen it.

At the time of writing, there has not been any word whether the NHL’s Department of Player Safety will have a further hearing with Clifford about the hit. We have certainly seen suspensions in the playoffs for less.

Luckily for Keefe, he has a direct replacement for Clifford in case of any suspension. Veteran forward Jason Spezza was a healthy scratch for Game 1.

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