9:59 PM ET

TORONTO —

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    It’s possible Bunting will face further supplemental discipline from the NHL Player Safety Department. Toronto’s forward was already under scrutiny for logging a team-high 103 penalty minutes in the regular season and had resolved to play smarter to avoid putting the Leafs at a disadvantage. Instead, he did just that in Game 1 of a pivotal first-round series that Toronto was already trailing in 3-2 before losing a top-six winger.

    Tampa Bay built its lead – which would stretch to 6-2 after 40 minutes in the eventual 7-3 victory – despite a parade of injuries. Prior to Cernak going down, the Lightning lost top-pairing defenseman Victor Hedman — who played his final shift in the first period and did not return for the second — and forward Michael Eyssimont early in the second after a hit from Toronto defenseman Jake McCabe.

    No official updates had been provided on either player through two periods.

    The Lightning jumped all over their opponent to take a 3-0 lead in the opening frame. Toronto responded with a pair of power play goals in the second before Tampa Bay came back with three straight scores, two from Brayden Point and one from Corey Perry.