Toronto's brass was thrilled with the play of Phil Kessel this season.

"From a development standpoint, what we would say is the biggest plus, because there were a lot of pluses, is probably the play of Phil Kessel," Leafs vice-president of hockey operations Dave Poulin said on Wednesday. "Not only in the playoffs and in that series, but throughout the year. He took his game to a different level. He did it physically and he did it in all three zones and he played hard (against the Bruins)." Much was made about Kessel's past struggles versus his old team heading into the first round, but he put those talks to rest by netting four goals and recording six points in the series. The 25-year-old winger has one year left on his current deal, so an extension could be in the works as soon as this summer.

Phil Kessel's goal was poised to be the game winner before the Boston Bruins tied Game 7 in the final minute and then won 5-4 in overtime.

Kessel's goal made it 3-1 and looked to be the game-winning goal entering the final two minutes of the third period. It surely would've been a sweet moment for Kessel, whose history with the Bruins franchise and Boston fan base is impossible to ignore. Perhaps even worse for Toronto fans, Tyler Seguin, who was taken with one of the picks acquired in the Kessel trade, had the primary assist on Patrice Bergeron's overtime winner.

Phil Kessel found the back of the net for the second straight game, scoring a power-play goal 47 seconds into the third period of Toronto's 5-2 loss Monday night.

Kessel and Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle took full advantage of having last change at home Monday night. The pair did everything they could to keep Kessel away from Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara, who's been stalking Kessel ever since the winger was traded to the Leafs. While it sounds cruel to say, the Maple Leafs will need more out of Kessel and the rest of their forwards if they're going to even the series at 2 on Wednesday night.