vs St. Louis

It took less than two minutes for Nathan Walker to remind the home crowd that being a fan of this team is a self-inflicted wound, but Jake McCabe managed to stop the collective hemorrhaging shortly after. When Steven Lorentz put the boys ahead in the second, there was a fleeting, terrifying moment where it looked like a comfortable lead might be established. Thankfully, Dalibor Dvorsky stepped in to ensure that the anxiety remained at its baseline level by tying it up and dragging everyone into the inevitable slog of extra time.

Both squads fired exactly 29 shots, because apparently symmetry is more important than actually closing out a game in regulation. William Nylander eventually decided he’d seen enough, burying the winner in overtime to secure the 3-2 victory and give the optimists just enough fuel to start planning a parade route that will never be used. It’s a win, sure, but let’s not act like this changes the fundamental laws of physics that govern this franchise’s ability to break hearts. Enjoy the points, but keep the expectations in the basement where they belong.