“IT WAS 4-1.”
Besides it wasn’t the Toronto Maple Leafs experiencing an entire and utter meltdown this time — as many are nicely accustomed to — however in a reasonably chaotic “holy-crap-what-just-happened” flip of occasions it was the Tampa Bay Lightning as a substitute.
The Lightning have been taking a really snug and robust lead of 4-1 into the third interval of Recreation 4 when the wheels got here off in spectacular trend.
After an abysmal first and second, the Leafs began to lastly sync to tally three back-to-back-to-back targets to tie the sport late within the remaining minutes of regulation. First Auston Matthews potted a pair, then Morgan Rielly, sporting a nasty shiner from Recreation 3 whereas being ruthlessly booed by Tampa followers, scored from the purpose to ship Recreation 4 to additional time.
Alex Kerfoot, deep in entrance of the online, secured the miraculous win just below 5 minutes into OT, sending Toronto again residence with a 3-1 sequence lead. The reactions, disbelief and elation have been all on show over social media instantly after the unlikely comeback win.
Right here have been a number of the greatest reactions from followers, analysts and across the hockey world:
NHL on TNT analyst Paul Bissonnette was fired up within the intermission between the third and additional time, confidently saying the Leafs’ “core 4 have been activated” after wanting “horrible” for a lot of the recreation.
“The boys in blue are again!” he yelled.
Then after the sport, Bissonnette stated “he who laughs final, laughs the toughest” then broke out probably the most unsettling manic chuckle:
After being caught on video arguing with Lightning followers throughout Recreation 3, it was apparent the digicam was going to be zeroed in on Leafs common supervisor Kyle Dubas throughout Recreation 4. However this time it was all pleasure from him and Jason Spezza:
“IT WAS 4-1” was trending on Twitter instantly following the sport, with many Leafs followers expressing disbelief with what they’d simply witnessed:
Kerfoot was removed from the Leafs greatest participant throughout the common season, and was usually included in commerce rumours forward the deadline. However with final night time’s OT winner, he may need redeemed himself amongst some followers:
And naturally, Leafs followers have been able to proudly specific “The Ardour,” the Leafs’ locker room motto:
Now the Leafs and its followers shouldn’t get too far forward of itself — the workforce nonetheless has to shut out the sequence at residence in Recreation 5 on Thursday night time. And when you recall, the Leafs had 3-1 sequence lead in opposition to the Montreal Canadiens within the 2021 playoffs and blew it in Recreation 7.
And contemplating how seasoned and skilled this Tampa workforce is, securing the primary sequence win in 19 years goes to be no simple process.
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