Ok, I have a confession to make all these years later. I was secretly cheering for David Ayres when he came in as an emergency backup

[Leafsfan74]

So Feb 22nd is the 5 year anniversary of this game so I get an early post. Come on, how could one not cheer for him? Have to root for the under dog right? I have to get it off of my chest as it has been eating me up all these years.

Please forgive me Leaf fans.

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[LeafEgo]

Come on, how could one not? Have to root for the under dog right, I have to get it off of my chest as it has been eating me up.

Please forgive me Leaf fans.

I remember when JT waltzed in the zone and haphazardly just shot it through him (while he was wearing blue pads). Looked like it was going to get very ugly for the poor guy.

But it didn't, so good for him. Hell of a story.

 

[Leafsfan74]

I remember when JT waltzed in the zone and haphazardly just shot it through him (while he was wearing blue pads). Looked like it was going to get very ugly for the poor guy.

But it didn't, so good for him. Hell of a story.

I know I was laughing and my wife was angry (she isn't a Leafs fan), then Leafs scored right away. That goal actually made his victory a little sweeter because everyone was probably thinking "alright, well, he is gonna get lit up, what can you do"?

Then Canes were going hard to the Leafs net, Andersen was sub-par and the Canes D was relentless. I'll never forget Brind'Amours face after he heard that he was 42 years old when he was on the bench even before he took the ice lol.

I didn't care if Leafs won, I'd rather the great story. 40 Years to the day from The Miracle On Ice.

 

[Commander Clueless]

You horrible, awful piece of... Yeah me too. I'm team Ayres.

Was it embarrassing? Yes. But we can handle embarrassing. Embarrassing is where we live.

 

[93gilmour93]

Come on, how could one not? Have to root for the under dog right, I have to get it off of my chest as it has been eating me up.

Please forgive me Leaf fans.

 

[tmlms13]

Ayres had like a 4 goal lead after the 5 min PP and then carolina played defense like it was game 7 of the cup finals. Not even surprised he won

 

[TheGreenTBer]

This game still pisses me off even today.

It raised more red flags than a communist get-together.

 

[Tie Domi Esquire]

One of the worst moments as a fan. Not as bad as losing to Montreal but it's right there. Surreal moment, but now I'm used to these losers' lack of competitiveness. But worse than that we now know that the ownership is even more gutless than the players.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Having been a goalie who practiced with Leafs alumni, and a fan of the underdog in general, I was rooting for him to do well (at the same time rooting for the Leafs to win).

 

[Brown Dog]

I don't know, man. That game was pretty damn frustrating. Not as frustrating as that 6-shot elimination game against the trap-era Devils, but not too far behind.

 

[Racer88]

I didn’t want him to get blown out but I wanted us
to win but the clowns couldn’t even do that.
A total embarrassment and humiliation of this group and here we are all these years later win not more to success

 

[IPS]

That was certainly a game that screamed red flag for the core, right up there with the return to Long Island for JT's 1st game back where they got blown out 6-0. Just games that really expose the ugly parts of the core's character.

 

[Aashir]

At the time? f*** no I wanted a 10-4 win where Matthews dropped 4G’s on him

Looking back? Yea it’s a neat story so it’s fine

Embarassment only lasts long enough, and I/we are used to it.

 

[Obo]

At the time I wasn't happy the Leafs lost but it was just one regular season game so really no big deal. Besides, a half-game fluke with one team motivated to play like demons isn't the most unlikely thing ever to happen and it was a nice story about a guy who was actually an employee of the Leafs.

I've never felt any embarrassment over it and compared to all the playoff losses it doesn't even register.

 

[danny90]

Come on, how could one not? Have to root for the under dog right, I have to get it off of my chest as it has been eating me up.

Please forgive me Leaf fans.

I think everyone deep down wanted to see him succeed

 

[Leaf Fans]

A lot of people were. He got a standing ovation after the game.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

It was a small example of a larger problem that year: not making the playoffs/poor coaching/Tyson Barrie (who recently got undressed by Reaves).

 

[Nineteen67]

Anyone with a soul wanted to see him do well.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

I can't remember why but I didn't see this game.

Good on Ayers for standing tall and winning it though. The man is a folk hero among Leafs fans now. I never gave it much thought before but I probably would have been cheering him on too.

I love a David vs Goliath story.

 

[Anthrax442]

As a person and a sports fan, this is a perfect movie plot. Greatest story on earth. Rudy x 1000

As a Leafs fan, this gave all the anti Leafs losers ammunition for another decade worth of mockery .