[URBAN NOTE] "Toronto Maple Leafs season choked away in Game 7"

[rfmcdonald]

The Toronto Star's Damien Cox expresses the general mood in wondering how the Toronto Maple Leafs could have collapsed so badly in Game 7 of the playoffs against Boston. I'm still struck myself: one minute the Leafs were ahead by two goals, and the next it seems they were defeated.

I can only imagine that the effects of this on Maple Leafs fandom might be dire. Being beaten badly is one thing; being beaten as a result of a last-minute collapse is another.

The Maple Leafs, and their legions of fans, had dared to dream that this might become a unique spring, particularly after twice fighting off elimination to force Game 7 in their best-of-seven opening round playoff series against the favoured Boston Bruins on Monday night.

All signs were pointing to this series as a shiny new beginning, not a nightmarish end.

Instead, the end came with a stunning, mind-blowing 5-4 overtime loss on Monday night, with defeat snatched from the jaws of victory in the most painful, shocking and unforgettable way imaginable.

[. . .]

In a game totally abandoned by the officials to the nastiest desires of two of the NHL’s toughest teams, the visitors led 4-1 with less than 11 minutes left in the third period and seemed headed to the second round with a stunning upset victory.

No team in the modern tight-checking NHL blows a lead like that, right?

Well, the Leafs did in what will live on as one of the more infamous playoff defeats in team history, with Patrice Bergeron’s OT winner completing one of the most extraordinary Game 7 comebacks in NHL history.