The inevitable has once again reared its ugly head for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who came up short in yet another winner-take-all Game 7 against the Boston Bruins on Saturday night.
The dagger this time around was an OT winner from Bruins’ sniper David Pastrnak on a favourable bounce off the end-boards.
PASTA STEPPED UP 🍝
THE BRUINS WIN GAME 7 IN OVERTIME 🔥 pic.twitter.com/O43SSaMup0
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 5, 2024
While devastating for the Maple Leafs faithful, who have become accustomed to first-round playoff exits, the rest of the hockey world seemingly takes much delight in the team’s misfortune.
In the moments after Pastrnak’s OT winner, hockey fans of all types (other than Leafs fans) took to social media to celebrate yet another Toronto collapse.
Another first round exit omg 🤣
— Nicky (@RealHKsmash) May 5, 2024
Leafs are a joke!!!! Hahahahahah
— Tom Brooks (@brooksykehd) May 5, 2024
Leafs in the playoffs pic.twitter.com/jfiKlbA1YC
— junior (@JuniorReyes17) May 5, 2024
Everybody’s Favourite Holiday is here! #LeafsEliminationDay pic.twitter.com/t8vaReVhvq
— Jordan Lindman (@SouthFLChasers) May 5, 2024
— Connor McJesus (@connermcjesus97) May 5, 2024
3 THINGS YOU CAN’T AVOID IN LIFE: DEATH, TAXES, TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS NOT MAKING IT OUT OF THE FIRST ROUND.
— hoodie nestor (@JiggyNestor69) May 5, 2024
— TStorm (@TStorm106) May 5, 2024
Perfect ending!!
— Kent 🇺🇸❌🇨🇦 (@Kentleitch1) May 5, 2024
Everyone point and laugh 😂🫵
— NuTorious (@NuToriousGG) May 5, 2024
Hey Toronto, again pic.twitter.com/sil0IOQGoA
— “Big Hoss”dafalCT (@Duncannotcoffee) May 5, 2024
LMFAOOOOOO Y’ALL ACTUALLY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT THIS YEAR😹😹😹🫵🏼🫵🏼🫵🏼🫵🏼🫵🏼🫵🏼
— Depressed Buffalo Sports Fan (@Tommy_Dangles72) May 5, 2024
Losing to the same team in Game 7 for the 4th time in the last decade is insane💀 pic.twitter.com/YBSp8bTA2C
— 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙩𝘾𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 (@WadexFlash) May 5, 2024
There is something even more painful about this year’s collapse. The Leafs seemed to be out of the series after falling behind 3-1 in Game 4. Yet, despite that, the team was able to rally back with two straight victories to force a Game 7, which gave the fanbase hope that things would be different this time around.
The build-up of hope over the past few games, only to see it crumble in OT, makes this collapse a lot harder to swallow than in years past.
Fans of the team will now shift their focus toward the offseason, which has the potential to be one of the more interesting ones for the Leafs in quite some time.