Boston Bruins: Fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs are still upset with us

The Boston Bruins are in the Stanley Cup Final. They got there through hard work, dedication to their sport, and their ability to outplay their opponents. Well, that’s what most hockey fans believe anyway. Everyone that is except the fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Certain fan bases have a solid, yet respectful rivalry with the Black and Gold. But when it comes to the fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs, that rivalry vacillates between questionable and downright toxic. Even our friends at FanSided’s Maple Leafs site, Editor in Leaf are a little salty over (yet another) first-round elimination at the hands of the Boston Bruins.

Well, I can’t say that I blame them. They almost had the Bruins once, but then let a 4-1 lead slip through their grasp. This year, they had the Bruins on the ropes in game six, but somehow found a way to give that one up as well.

Then, there are tweets like these.

A 5-1 loss does not represent fighting to the bitter end. Their team fell apart. Their goaltender let in easy goals, and Nazem Kadri, the most Brad Marchand-like player on their squad got himself suspended (again) in the first round.

His actions are part of the reason why Toronto blue is putting on a golf green in May.

Kadri fell afoul of his own temper (just like Marchand does).  It certainly didn’t help that the Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen seemed to fall apart in the last five periods (no thanks to the Leafs blue line, who allowed it to become a shooting gallery for the B’s) of Toronto’s season.

Then there is the small part of Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask having an amazing playoff season. It’s that what has cost Toronto their first shot at the Stanley Cup in over fifty years.

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But Maple Leafs fans will certainly find people to blame. Even the media will conjure up scenarios and excuses that should have somehow given games, series and the Stanley Cup to them.  Even NBC decided to weigh in a piece that was a pure hit job on Marchand.

Funny, when the author discussed bringing hockey back to the Dark Ages, I assumed that he was talking about the monochromatic pictures taken of the Toronto Maple Leafs 1967 Stanley Cup team.

Lord knows Marchand has his issues. But he’s conquered most of his problems and put up a 100-point season for Boston. To be blunt, Connor McDavid has been suspended for more games this season than Marchand has (now that’s a sentence I never thought I’d put to print).

Then there is Game 1. While the Boston Bruins came alive to beat the Blues 4-2, there was plenty of gripes about that game too. Don’t even get me started on the Torey Krug hit.

I’d like to leave the last word on this subject to a good friend, fellow writer, son of a former Boston Bruins player, and Toronto native Court Lalonde.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will have yet another opportunity to avenge their latest defeat against the Black and Gold. I’m just not sure what tee-time Zdeno Chara and company have booked (as they’re still on the ice and not on the course).

Meanwhile, I’ll be adding this blue-tinged salt to this margarita and cheer on the Black and Gold as the play in another Stanley Cup Final.