Mixed notes

Well, wasn't yesterday a stellar Hockey Night in Canada.

Larry emailed me Sunday night and said he had come back from Mother's Day with extra steak, potatoes, corn, even pumpkin pie, and all we had to do was warm them up. He actually suggested we watch game 7 of the Leafs-Bruins playoffs. I laughed and said I didn't think there'd be a game 7, but if the Leafs won Sunday evening, sure. It was a strange request because neither of us is a big sports fan, but we'd incidentally watched the Leafs blow it twice at pubs in the past week and I guess it was just a chance to square the circle.

So, as it turned out, the Leafs won Sunday evening. They went from being down 3-2 in the playoffs to tying it up, and now there'd be a game 7. I still didn't think they'd win, but at least now they had a shot. Who knows?

Larry came over and we watched the first two eps of the original 1981 Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, then hopped onto the game about ten after seven. The Bruins scored first and Larry joked that was a good sign, because both times we'd seen them lose, the Leafs had gotten on the board first.

Meanwhile, Ally did what she always does when Larry comes over... climbs all over him and starts making a big deal over him. I'm not sure why she does this; if it's an attempt to make me jealous or just that he's someone she's seen a lot, has grown to trust, and wants to be social. I've warned him a few times, though, what I've noticed she doesn't like (such as sticking your finger in her face to warn her off, which he's apt to do... bad move), and that she likes being petted briefly and on her own terms, and he exceeded them. She started to lean back and I said he should probably ease up, but he didn't, and she finally had enough, grabbed his arm and raked his wrist with her back legs. I didn't like seeing her lash out at him but it was a little hard to feel sorry for him. Cats really aren't that hard to read and when they're letting you know, with whatever patience they can muster, it's time for you to respect their space, you really shouldn't play the "I'm human and bigger than you and I don't have to" card. And I did try to warn him off. He says he's done with letting her get social, and I suppose he is, but that's too bad, when all you have to do is take what she's able to give, and ease off when she lets you know she's given it. Twinkle taught me that.

Anyway, in the meantime, the hockey was hockeying. Then it happened. The Leafs tied it up, and then started winning. Four unanswered goals, and it got really quiet in Boston. I started thinking hey, the Leafs really are going to make it to the second round. They went into the third period up 4-1, and I kept saying, hey, it's not over till it's over, but just tying it up would be a huge chore for Boston.

Then Boston scored one.

Then, with  about two minutes to play, they pulled their goalie, which I didn't think they'd do with a two goal deficit, but they did. And it paid off. With 87 seconds left in game 7, they scored. Now it's 4-3. But the Leafs just have to keep their shit wired for less time than it takes to listen to an early Beatles ditty.

Nope.

Bruins tie it up with 50 seconds or so to go. Game goes into overtime. I knew the momentum was theirs. Six minutes in, so was the game.

They've been called "the loser Leafs" all my life. Last time they won, or even played in the finals for, the Stanley Cup was in 1967, the last year of the Original Six teams. I wasn't born yet. No one playing on either team last night was, either. The coaching staffs probably can't even remember that. And for all that, last night has to be some kind of Leafs record for epic fail. To piss away a three goal advantage and then lose the game all in less time than it takes to play a single regulation period is something that probably doesn't happen much more than once in a season across the league... and yet, the Leafs managed to do it last night in game 7. I don't mind that they lost so much as I hate them for making me think they really had the heart to win.

Hockey isn't even one of my hobbies and I'm some pissed off. I can't imagine what this is like for people who watch every game, or pay hundreds of bucks to sit in the ACC. Probably like Larry feels about Ally. I should probably call my dad.