Postgame: So Close, So Far

The Leafs lost 5-4 after being down 5-0. How do you emotionally process something like that?

The Leafs made this one damn interesting. It’s hard to know what to say, and it’s hard to gather rational thoughts after such a whirlwind game.

The Leafs were a disaster to start this game. A complete, utter, unmitigated disaster. Frederik Andersen was yanked for the second time in as many games for the first time in his career. Hyman, Kapanen, Gardiner and Dermott may have been out, but the Leafs – as deep as they are – should not collapse like this to a team outside of the playoff picture under any circumstance. No excuses.

It’s hard to fathom just how close the Leafs came to bringing this one back to even. It’s agonizing to think of the near misses they had late in the game and what an unreal comeback it could have been.

It’s worse; more frustrating, to realize they let this game get to where it was in the first place.

A loss is a loss, ultimately, but the way the team rallied should hopefully be used as momentum guiding them forward – into starting on time next time, hopefully.

John Tavares scored his 39th goal of the season tonight – a new career high, in just his 70th game of the season. Not too shabby, if you ask me.

Onward we go. Two big games this weekend as the Toronto St. Pats take to the ice against the Flyers and Senators on back-to-back nights. Go Leafs Go.