Heartbreak, Leafs & Senators
It seemed almost poetic.
The Senators were hoping against hope that they could return the favour the Leafs had paid them the last four meeting in the playoffs. Who better to kill the playoff hopes of the Leafs then the team that hates them the most?
Just like every other season the Senators had dominated the Leafs in the regular season. This year it wasn't even close: they beat them 7 times with a combined score about 40-14 or so. They handed their butts back to them in pretty little bows. This year -everyone seemed to be saying - there is no way that the Sens would lose to the Leafs in the playoffs. Many were thinking that they might even win Lord Stanley's Cup. Something the Leafs haven't done in one million years. Unlike other years, the Sens were not only faster (they have always been faster), younger (ditto for this) but this time they wouldn't be dominated physically. The Sens were much bigger than the Leafs. The only edge that the Leafs had in the past was gone. How could a slower, less skilled, smaller Leafs team hope to beat the Sens in the playoffs? Indeed, even my constant belief in the ability of the Leafs to beat the Sens in the playoffs was doubting the Leafs chances. Well... not anymore.
You see the Sens really did want to send the Leafs home. Make no mistake, the Sens were really trying. This was not a meaningless game at the end of the regular season. This was payback. They had the confidence from this past season - of course they could be them.
Final Score:
Leaf 5 -Senators 1
Uh-oh.
Guess who would likely play the Sens in the first round of the playoffs. That's right... the Leaf Nation.
But then came a man - the reigning MVP - who ended that thought (with 11 seconds to go in OT, none the less). Senator State breathed a sigh of relief. No first round elimation this year at the hands of the Leafs.
Mark my words, if they had played, the Sens wouldn't have seen past the first round. I am beginning to think that the Leafs are more in the Sens heads then even I imagined. I think at no time in history is this more so then tonight.
Senators fans, we still own you. Until you beat the Leafs in a meaningful game/series, this will always be the case. But enjoy the playoffs, at least you got there. That's more than I could say about the Leafs.
The Author
The Senators were hoping against hope that they could return the favour the Leafs had paid them the last four meeting in the playoffs. Who better to kill the playoff hopes of the Leafs then the team that hates them the most?
Just like every other season the Senators had dominated the Leafs in the regular season. This year it wasn't even close: they beat them 7 times with a combined score about 40-14 or so. They handed their butts back to them in pretty little bows. This year -everyone seemed to be saying - there is no way that the Sens would lose to the Leafs in the playoffs. Many were thinking that they might even win Lord Stanley's Cup. Something the Leafs haven't done in one million years. Unlike other years, the Sens were not only faster (they have always been faster), younger (ditto for this) but this time they wouldn't be dominated physically. The Sens were much bigger than the Leafs. The only edge that the Leafs had in the past was gone. How could a slower, less skilled, smaller Leafs team hope to beat the Sens in the playoffs? Indeed, even my constant belief in the ability of the Leafs to beat the Sens in the playoffs was doubting the Leafs chances. Well... not anymore.
You see the Sens really did want to send the Leafs home. Make no mistake, the Sens were really trying. This was not a meaningless game at the end of the regular season. This was payback. They had the confidence from this past season - of course they could be them.
Final Score:
Leaf 5 -Senators 1
Uh-oh.
Guess who would likely play the Sens in the first round of the playoffs. That's right... the Leaf Nation.
But then came a man - the reigning MVP - who ended that thought (with 11 seconds to go in OT, none the less). Senator State breathed a sigh of relief. No first round elimation this year at the hands of the Leafs.
Mark my words, if they had played, the Sens wouldn't have seen past the first round. I am beginning to think that the Leafs are more in the Sens heads then even I imagined. I think at no time in history is this more so then tonight.
Senators fans, we still own you. Until you beat the Leafs in a meaningful game/series, this will always be the case. But enjoy the playoffs, at least you got there. That's more than I could say about the Leafs.
The Author
posted by Selam at 3:48 a.m.
1 Comments:
Is hockey still being played? After the season long strike I wasn't sure when it picked back up again. I guess this proves even more that I'm an American and that Americans know nothing about hockey "Hahkee".
David
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