The NHL is announcing the best plays, moments, events, coaches, and teams of the 2010s. Today, they announced the ‘game of the decade'. This will bring back some very happy memories if you're a Bruins fan. If you're a Leafs fan however, the exact opposite.
In May of 2013, the Leafs found themselves in a very good situation to win a playoff series, their first since 2004. They were playing a rival in the Boston Bruins, and appeared to have the game in the bag. When Nazem Kadri scored in the third period to make it a 4-1 game, Leafs fans had to have expected their team to advance. Unfortunately, Boston had other plans.
With 9:18 left in the third, Nathan Horton scored to make it a two-goal game. At this point, Toronto still had breathing room, and their lead was still comfortable.
The Leafs found themselves with the same two goal cushion with two minutes left in the game, until Milan Lucic scored to make it 4-3 with 1:22 remaining. This certainly made Leafs fans nervous, but they still had the lead and needed to kill just 1:22 to advance. Cue Patrice Bergeron .
Bergeron, as he has many times over his career, had some late game heroics. Just 32 seconds after Lucic had scored to make it a one goal game, Bergeron scored to tie it. The Boston crowd came back to life, and the Leafs players looked to be in complete shock. The third period ended with a 4-4 score, yet it felt as if Boston had already won the game. The arena was buzzing, and Boston had all the momentum. It truly felt like it was only a matter of time until they scored the overtime winning goal.
Thankfully for the Leafs, they were able to go into the dressing room to try and regroup. Sure, they let what should have been an easy victory slide out of their hands, but all of that would be forgotten if they were able to score the next goal.
Although the Leafs hadn't been out of the first round since '04, they weren't the only team playing with a sense of urgency in this game.
“You feel like everything is collapsing and it might be the end of something special, as far as the core that we had,” said Bergeron in regards to the group of players who won the Stanley Cup together back in 2011. “Then not wanting that to happen and kind of try to roll up your sleeves and find some energy somehow, somewhere.”
Sure enough, it was Bergeron himself who went on to score the overtime winner on a scramble play in front of the Leafs net. The Bruins players leaped over the boards and piled on Bergeron, still not in belief of what had just happened. That was the feeling from everyone, fans and players of both teams included.
With 10 minutes left in the third, the Leafs had themselves a three-goal lead, only to throw it away and lose the game in overtime. And not just any loss, but a game 7 loss to see their season come to an end. Although it isn't a pleasant memory for all, it does seem like the obvious choice for game of the decade, as it continues to get talked about to this day.
Source: Amalie Benjamin
