As rain fell downtown on Saturday night, a huge crowd of Leafs fans felt washed out.
The hundreds gathered at Maple Leaf Square聽expected to hear their victory anthem, Maxine Nightingale鈥檚 boom overhead聽by night’s end.聽Instead,聽there was a聽sombre hush as the Senators won against the Leafs聽in overtime to force Game 5 on Tuesday in Toronto.聽
The audio from the 24-metre screen suspended above them quickly muted when Senators defenceman Jake Sanderson found the back of the net in the extra period. The broadcast flipped to ads, while people 鈥 their enthusiasm dampened 鈥 flooded to exit.聽
“Disappointing,” said Jofre Maya, who wore his good luck charms hoping for a win. “We were all anticipating, at least, a sweep, but it’s just not happening.”
Before the puck dropped, hundreds of fans gathered at the square outside Scotiabank Arena.聽More were packed inside聽for a viewing party with fans glued to the arena’s聽jumbotron.聽
Lifelong Leafs fan Nichol聽Capozucca, who arrived to the Maple Leafs Tailgate with friends, was amped to be there either way.
”I was excited to come here, regardless of the outcome,” she said. “It’s great just being together and being able to watch the game as a group.”
Although the Leafs 鈥 who haven’t won a Stanley Cup聽since 1967 鈥 have only made it past the first playoffs round once since 2004,聽the club鈥檚 years of playoff disappointments聽seemed to have been forgotten.
The energy around this version of the club felt different for fans on Saturday, and a聽positive current of electricity was聽in the air 鈥 despite the Leafs not securing a sweep.
鈥淲e’re getting the goaltending, we’re getting the defence and the Core Four is stepping up,鈥 longtime Leafs fan Jay Lad said about why this year feels different from previous seasons.
鈥淚t’s the coaching. I think (Leafs head coach Craig Berube) has so much confidence because he’s been here before. He has that Stanley Cup pedigree, so I think he kind of just brings that confidence into the room.鈥
Passion and enthusiasm ran through Maple Leaf Square when the game began. Signs proclaiming 鈥淚t鈥檚 our year鈥澛爎ose above the crowd. Staple 鈥淏rady sucks!鈥 chants continued through the game, about Senators captain Brady Tkachuk. Fans enthusiastically waved their playoff towels, waiting to erupt.
But the atmosphere shifted and booing began as Max Domi took a two-minute roughing penalty. They broke out into 鈥淕o, Leafs go!鈥 chants聽to up the morale, but an opening goal from Ottawa鈥檚 Tim St眉tzle hushed the crowd.
Nathan Wood came to the tailgate decked out in a Maple Leafs suit shipped from Dubai, his hair bleached and face painted blue. He hoped the Leafs would respond to end the series, as his boss from his summer job in Ottawa had been texting all series predicting a Senators win.
“It’s all hearsay,” he said. “They’re not going to win anything.”聽But that turned out not to be the case.聽
The momentum was in Ottawa鈥檚 favour, and Senators forward Shane Pinto doubled their lead, adding more salt to the wound for the crowd in Toronto.
鈥淲hen the Senators scored the first two goals, my heart honestly dropped,鈥 said Maggie Haunton, a first-time Tailgater. 鈥淚 didn’t know what to do. I thought I was bad luck.鈥
Despite the Leafs’ deficit, some fans still believed. 鈥淲e got this!鈥 one fan yelped in the distance. And that belief was reinforced when Leafs forward John Tavares deflected a William Nylander pass past Senators goalie Linus Ullmark to make it 2-1 with 55 seconds left in the first period.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 believe we gave up one on the power play. I got pretty nervous,鈥 said Chad Hamstra, who came to the Tailgate with his brother Preston. 鈥淏ut getting one back late in the period definitely helps.鈥澛
Quiet, skittish chatter turned into roars as Leafs forward Matthew Knies went through on a breakaway, and roofed a shot above Ullmark 鈥 evening the game up at two.
Reaction from Maple Leafs Square crowd as Leafs forward Matthew Knies ties it at 2-2 midway through the second period. (Ilyas Hussein / 海角社区官网Star / April 26, 2025)
Some threw popcorn into the wind as 鈥 the Leafs goal song 鈥 bellowed through the speakers. Others embraced, white smoke billowing over their heads.聽
Although the crowd thought the tide was turning in the Leafs’ favour, the Senators quickly dispelled their confidence.
A deafening silence fell, as Ottawa’s David Perron put one past Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz, restoring their lead.聽
Then, with just over five minutes left in regulation play, Leafs defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson equalized, blasting a one-timer behind Ullmark.
Fans began to sing “Ol茅! Ol茅!聽Ol茅!” as another overtime neared.聽But their hopes were dashed and chants of “Leafs in five!” ended the night.聽
“I just hope they don’t blow it,” Maya said.
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