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Re-Leafing History: Toronto Maple Leafs Worst Loss Happened 7 Years Ago Today

By Stephen Nixon

BOSTON, MA - MAY 13: Rich Peverley #49 of the Boston Bruins and Cody Franson #4 of the Toronto Maple Leafs reach for the puck in the second period in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 13, 2013 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - MAY 13: Rich Peverley #49 of the Boston Bruins and Cody Franson #4 of the Toronto Maple Leafs reach for the puck in the second period in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 13, 2013 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images) /
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BOSTON, MA – MAY 13: Rich Peverley #49 of the Boston Bruins and Cody Franson #4 of the Toronto Maple Leafs . (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – MAY 13: Rich Peverley #49 of the Boston Bruins and Cody Franson #4 of the Toronto Maple Leafs . (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images) /

Today is the seven-year anniversary of when the Toronto Maple Leafs lost to the Boston Bruins in Game 7 of the 2013 NHL Playoffs.

Seven is supposed to be a lucky number, but for the Toronto Maple Leafs, May 13, 2013 still haunts Leafs Nation.

For hockey fans, the 2012-13 season was weird (kind of like this year). Instead of your typical six-month regular season, it was a 48-game sprint from January to April because of the lockout.

Despite a shortened season, Toronto Maple Leafs fans didn’t seem to mind, as their beloved team made the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

Although the Toronto Maple Leafs were a fifth seed heading into the playoffs, people joked throughout the city that this would obviously be the one year they won the Stanley Cup. Laughing that there would be an asterisk beside their name in the record book.

Personally, I couldn’t care less if the Toronto Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup on the moon in front of zero fans. I just want to see it happen this before I die.

To recap the series, after losing Game 1, the Leafs stole Game 2 in Boston to get home-ice advantage back. I remember the excitement of Game 3 because it had been so long since the team had a home playoff game.

I couldn’t afford a ticket, but made my way to Maple Leaf Square (which is now Jurassic Park, thanks to the success of the Raptors) and watched Game 3 on the Jumbo-tron.

Going down 2-0 early, Jake Gardiner scored in the second period to erupt the crowd outside and give us hope, until the game got out of hand and the Leafs lost 5-2.

Game 4 was even more gut-wrenching when Toronto lost at home 4-3 in overtime, thanks to a terrible read by Dion Phaneuf. Going for the big hit (as per usual) Phaneuf created a 2-on-1 for Boston, where David Krejci scored a squeaker past James Reimer.

Down 3-1 in the series, the season felt over. Although it was fun to get playoff hockey for the first time in nine years, this just wasn’t our year.

Or maybe it was?

Reimer turned into Patrick Roy for Game 5 and 6 stopping 68 of 70 shots in two games and all of sudden the series was tied 3-3.

Alright, now it’s time to torture myself. Everyone who I’ve talked to about this thinks I’m crazy, but oh well.

For this fun experiment, I’ve decided to watch Game 7 again from start to finish, creating a running diary from the game, as I’ve tried to avoid highlights for the last seven years.

Wish me luck and read at your own discretion.

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