vs San Jose

Another masterclass in the "Leafs Experience" is officially in the books. Things actually looked promising when Dakota Joshua opened the scoring, and for a fleeting moment, the collective delusion of the fan base started to simmer. When Auston Matthews doubled the lead late in the second period, it felt like a rare occasion where we might actually enjoy a stress-free victory. But because comfort is a foreign concept in this city, Dmitry Orlov answered back less than a minute later to ensure everyone remained appropriately anxious.

The collapse was completed in the most predictable fashion imaginable. John Klingberg—a man whose previous defensive highlights in a Leafs sweater still haunt my dreams—sniped the equalizer with about 90 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. Despite firing 30 shots on net, the inevitable occurred in the extra frame when Alexander Wennberg ended the misery. We somehow turned a dominant 2-0 cushion into a home loss against San Jose, proving once again that no lead is safe and no fan is more resilient than one who pays for this level of disappointment. Grab your "loser point" and try to stay humble; it's the only way to survive.