Fans of the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs waited a long time for their teams to clash in the playoffs.
 
When they finally did take the ice against one another on Thursday night, the nostalgia was overwhelming.
 
In a cruel twist, all of the excitement surrounding the matchup disappeared when Maple Leafs’ captain John Tavares suffered a serious injury.
 
Hopefully, Tavares will make a full recovery.
 
Here is the Morning Coffee for Friday May 21, 2021.
 
Habs win Game 1
 
Montreal entered the playoffs at +240 odds to upset Toronto in their first-round series.
 
Only the St. Louis Blues (+310 vs. Colorado) had longer odds to advance to the second round.
 
The Habs (+180) were able to steal Game 1 with a 2-1 win thanks to some impressive performances.

Paul Byron, who was placed on waivers by the Canadiens more than once this season, scored the most impressive goal of the playoffs so far with a shorthanded marker that held up as the winner.
 
Carey Price made 35 saves in his first NHL start since April 19.

Are the Habs a live underdog?
 
Teams that win Game 1 of a best-of-seven NHL playoff series are 490-222 all-time. Last year, Game 1 winners went 7-1 in the first round.

Oddsmakers made a significant adjustment to the series price after the opener, as the Canadiens went from a +240 underdog to even money to win the series.
 
Toronto opened as a -180 favourite for Game 2 on Saturday night.
 
Panthers win high-scoring Game 3
 
There have been plenty of unlikely heroes so far in the NHL playoffs. We can now add Ryan Lomberg to that list.
 
Lomberg scored the overtime winner as the Florida Panthers (+120) beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-5. 
 
Lomberg’s winner capped a wild affair that included six goals in the second period, including five for Tampa Bay.

The Lightning were 28-0-0 this season when leading after two periods.
 
Trailing 2-1 in the series, the Panthers are +225 to win the series. Tampa Bay is still a -285 series favourite.
 
Golden Knights rally
 
The Vegas Golden Knights (-120) scored five unanswered goals to rally from down 2-0 and beat the Minnesota Wild 5-2 in Game 3 on Thursday night.
 
Mark Stone scored twice for Vegas. Marc-Andre Fleury made just 14 saves for the win.
 
While the Golden Knights have looked dominant at times in front of him, Fleury’s odds to win the Conn Smythe Trophy have been on the move, as he’s gone from +1500 to +1000.
 
Only Nathan MacKinnon (+425) has shorter odds to win that award.
 
With the win, Vegas took a 2-1 series lead and is now -480 to advance to the second round.
 
Meanwhile, Fleury’s former team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, beat the New York Islanders 5-4 to take a 2-1 series lead.
 
NHL road teams went 4-0 on Thursday night.

NBA Eastern Conference playoff field set
 
The Washington Wizards (-3.5) beat the Indiana Pacers 142-115 on Thursday night to clinch the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
 
The Wizards will play the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the playoffs.

Meanwhile, the final playoff spot in the Western Conference will be on the line when the Golden State Warriors (-4.5) host the Memphis Grizzlies tonight on TSN.
 
The winner of that game will draw the Utah Jazz in the first round.
 
Conners leads at PGA Championship
 
The second round of the PGA Championship is underway right now on TSN.
 
Corey Conners, who opened at 66-1 to win the tournament, entered the second round as the betting favourite to win the event at +700 odds after taking a two-stroke lead following the first round. 
 
Make sure you follow our very own Adam Scully for updates throughout the weekend.