The Toronto Maple Leafs are very close to blowing a 3-1 series lead in their first-round series with the Montreal Canadiens. The Maple Leafs have been unable to get out of the first round in four straight seasons. They haven’t won a playoff series since 2004. It’s been a pile of misery for Maple Leafs fans. While the New Jersey Devils have had more success in the playoffs over the past two decades, they can certainly understand the pain Leaf’s fans are feeling.
Just by virtue of probability, fans are going to finish more seasons upset than they are going to end them happy. There are certain seasons where fans are happy with the effort of the season, but the end result is only good for one team.
Still, there are just some seasons when a moment sticks with you. It might be a whole game that just breaks your heart. Either way, the feeling is swift and utterly painful. It seems like we talk about those moments more often than the moments of elation. There’s always the “where were you when” feeling when the team wins. However, that feeling you feel when the team loses in the most agonizing way possible never really goes away.
It can be hard to look back at those painful moments, but it is good for closure. Most of them happened decades ago anyway. Well, except one very specific one. As we watch to see what happens in Game 7 of the Leafs-Canadiens, we take a look back at some of those heart-wrenching moments that really made being a Devils fan painful.