I am a Bruins fan and that has to be the craziest last 15 minutes I have ever seen. Once they were down 4-1 I didn't think they had any chance of coming back.
The TV was on sportscenter at work today and every time I walked by all they were talking about was this game tonight. I have not cared about hockey in a long time but I could not imagine how angry/depressed that team and the fans must be to give up a lead like that in game 7. Some dark rituals must have been taken longer than normal and the sacrificial goat had not arrived until halfway through or something for a turnaround like that.
The anger I felt was unlike anything I've felt in years. I know, in my heart, our shitty young team did a great job of making it a challenge, but giving up 3 goals within 10 minutes and 2 in the last few minutes was beyond brutal. I'm thankful I have games as my "thing" because I can immediately retreat into that world and let my frustration wash away.
I didn't get to watch the game, unfortunately. Last I heard was that the Leafs were up 4-2, and I couldn't believe that they blew that lead when I heard the final score. Pretty disappointing. I was pulling for the Leafs, but as a Jets fan I'm not overly crushed by it. Still, they did very well against a good team.
You've got to wonder about the Bruins' chances this post-season, if they struggled that mightily against a good-but-not-great Leafs squad.
Yeah I'm a massive Leafs fan, have been my whole life and that game was pretty heartbreaking. At the same time though, considering the expectations going into this season and the expectations going into this series, I'm damn proud of the Leafs. They (alongside all the fans) should raise their heads high.
I compare drawing Boston in Round 1 to fighting Lavos at the beginning of Chrono Trigger. It's possible, sure, but it's just about the worst possible situation that such a young team could get put into. Overall they did remarkably, and this will do pretty amazing things for their confidence.
Of course what you'll find happening over the next while is people shitting on the team for blowing it as if it was somehow a sure thing they'd win, but hey, such is the way of people.
Bruins earned it, I look forward to next season when we can clash again.
The Leafs are going to be super dangerous in a short amount of time, as a Bruins fan, I'm surprised at how they came back from being down 3-1 in the series to just about locking it away. Ridiculous finish.
Of course what you'll find happening over the next while is people shitting on the team for blowing it as if it was somehow a sure thing they'd win, but hey, such is the way of people.
That's the worst part about sports fandom to me. I'm not a sports guy, but I can appreciate the civic pride, camaraderie, and social aspects. It's the punching bag/monday morning quarterback aspect really rubs me the wrong way. People calling into talk radio shows and acting like they know exactly what a bunch of beaten-down, insanely talented professionals could have done better. It must be really fucking irritating to be on the inside and have to watch this gallery of idiots critique your every split-second decision.
I'll joke about the Leafs never ceasing to disappoint, but I do respect them.
Yeah there's some great things about being invested in sports, but there are some awful things as well. My personal downside is emotional investment because while, yes, it is just a sport that I am not even playing myself, my fandom is a large part of me. I've grown up enough to realize that I'm not the only one who's like this, so I'm respectful to others and don't run around puffing my chest out when my team wins a big game and calling out people who like the losing team. It's a shitty way to be. Light jabs are alright, friendly bickering, sure, but some people get a real hard on for being as rude as possible.
I've fortunately seen the good side of sports rivalries enough to be able to just shake my head at those people. I live in a town that borders Buffalo so I go see the Leafs play there when I can (the price helps, too), and always run into nice Sabres fans when I go. Leafs lose, friendly bickering, Leafs win, GG's all around. I'd hate to go to a city where fans are beaten senseless for wearing the wrong colours.
I was cautiously optimistic that the Leafs would win the series, but I never considered it an actual possibility until they beat Boston in Game 5. Winning three games back to back seemed impossible as well, but there we were tonight about to clinch a jump to the second round. It was heartbreaking to watch it all slip away, but I can't say it's unexpected. Toronto has a young team full of incredible talent. They aren't Championship material yet, but if cooler heads prevail and Randy Carlyle stays on as head coach, I can easily see this team going deep into the Cup run in the next couple years.
I'm proud of my boys in blue for the effort they put in. They rattled the Bruins and took them off their game the entire series. It's too bad they couldn't clinch the win but that's where experience comes into play. Boston knew exactly what they had to do to come back and they did it. No salt here. The Leafs played their hearts out and they should be proud of that series. Fantastic hockey was played.
I absolutely hate the Leafs, even as a Canadian I was rooting for Boston, but damn it's rough for any team to go like that. Personally I don't think the Leafs will be a legit contender for at least a few years, they have a lot of heart and grit but just don't seem to have a really solid core to base a run off of. The Rangers should handle Boston fairly well, it'll be a great series but NY has far better goal tending than the Bruins.
I am rooting for the Red Wings in the west, cause I'm a Vancouver fan and every other team left in the west are all kind of rivals of the Canucks. Pittsburgh in the East because I am a Crosby fan and like the teams style of play, most of all Jarome Iginla deserves a Stanley Cup more than anybody in the league in my opinion.
Im a Pens fan but i was rooting for the leafs to win the series, turned the TV off last night to get some sleep and they were up 4-1, could not believe they blew it when i saw the outcome this morning. Still, no one expected them to even take it 7 games so i hope it dont break there spirits completely and they can compete again next year.
@scottp: Yep, die-hard Leafs fan since I was a kid. Grew up in Ohio but go the CBC via cable, so my only reliable access to hockey was HNIC, which meant the Leafs, Bob Cole and Harry Neale, Coach's Corner with Don Cherry, Satellite Hot Stove. Doug Gilmour is still my all-time favorite player.
The sheer fact that they made it to Game 7 against Boston after going 1-9 against them over the past two seasons was enough for me...until they took the lead. I'm sitting at work, trying to be productive through my thousand yard stare while I keep reminding myself that playoff hockey is a simple and constant reminder that all things in life that have potential to bring us joy will inevitably and ultimately bring nothing but pain and disappointment.
I never thought they'd beat the champs from 2011, Jagr, Chara, there's just too much power and experience on the Bruins. They're also tricky little fuckers, so much game delaying, throwing the bottle on the ice to delay the face off was the one thing that bothered me about the game, that should definetly have been a delay of game call. Don't know that it would have done anything to stop the momentum the bruins had at the end though but every bit helps.
It was great hockey though and for a team where most of them are kids that not only hadn't been to the playoffs before (just look at all the nerves in game 3) but weren't even in the NHL last year. it's damn amazing and going toe to toe with cagey Boston was a great accomplishment. In the next couple years if they shitty Toronto money men let them keep it up they'll have a damn good chance.
Also god damn Gardiner is a superstar, other than Reimer I'd say he was the most important player on the ice, the amount of plays that kid made, and chances he gave the leafs is astounding.
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