Leafs Postgame – The Tank Takes a Detour

Eric Brewer? Are you [expletive] kidding me?

The Toronto Maple Leafs took a pause on being horrible tonight, snapping a seven-game losing streak and downing the Ottawa Senators 4-3 in overtime. 

No seriously. Eric goddamn Brewer?

The first period really couldn’t have been less eventful, with Toronto and Ottawa exchanging several unexciting shots and slightly less unexciting hits. 

Things wouldn’t pick up until the second period, when the Senators would pull ahead with goals from Mark Stone and Curtis Lazar, the human emoticon. At this point, things were looking good for the Leafs’ tank efforts, with Carolina pulling away from New Jersey on their way to a 3-1 win that would see the Hurricanes push themselves six points ahead of Toronto. 

But, as per usual, Tyler Bozak would have to go ahead and ruin that. The Leafs would come out on fire in the third period, with Toronto’s much maligned top line centre scoring not once, not twice, but three times in the final frame. Regulation would end tied 3-3.

Enter Brewer, who would clinch the extra point banging a loose puck in from close range. Let’s put that into perspective… Brewer was down below the opposition hash marks in overtime, in a four-on-four situation. Because of course he was.

As a ‘big loser’ and avid supporter of the tank, I’ll allow tonight’s lunacy and gladly accept to points in the standings though. The Ottawa Senators are no longer in a playoff spot, and that’s always fun for Leafs fans.

Tyler Bozak turned a trick and both Phil Kessel and James van Riemsdyk enjoyed multipoint games. But really, who cares? Garrett Gamble, who signed a one-day contract with Toronto earlier today, is tonight’s Blue Warrior.

Cheers, Garrett. Everyone here at TLN hopes you and your family had a fantastic time at the ACC tonight.

The Leafs will be back in action again Tuesday evening when they host Steven Stamkos and the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tune in to TSN4 at 7:30 Eastern.