@ Boston

The script was written within the first twenty minutes in the city that exists solely to ruin my childhood. Giving up three goals, including one to Alex Steeves of all people, was a masterclass in making Pavel Zacha and the Bruins feel like world-beaters. Steven Lorentz tried to make things interesting for a fleeting moment, but why harbor hope when Hampus Lindholm is right there to extinguish it? Watching David Pastrnak score just forty-nine seconds into the middle frame was the cherry on top of this mediocre sundae, effectively ending any delusion that a trip to TD Garden would result in anything other than a light case of heartburn.

In true Leafs fashion, the boys waited until the game was nearly out of reach to actually start trying. Bobby McMann and Oliver Ekman-Larsson managed to drag the score to within one, briefly tricking me into believing that maybe, just maybe, the curse had lifted. Naturally, that hope was a trap. Pastrnak netted his second of the game to restore order to the universe, ensuring the 33 shots on goal remained nothing more than a nice-looking stat on a losing sheet. It’s the same old story: more shots than the opponent, a spirited but ultimately useless comeback, and another reason to reconsider my life choices. It’s a specialized kind of pain, but at least it's consistent.