Game 6 in Tweets: Leafs Top Bruins

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Twitter has become an online destination for fans of any sport of congregate. It creates a community that not only brings fans together, but is home to some pretty awesome comedy and chirping. That being said, why tell you what happened in game 6 of the Leafs/Bruins series when I can give you the highlights in tweets? From beginning to end and a little of the aftermath.

I tweet a lot during games. It’s definitely a coping mechanism to know other fans are absolutely experiencing symptoms of cardiac arrest- at least that is what WedMD will tell you.

So without further adue, please enjoy game 6 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs between your Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins.

Scott Newlands was called upon on a Toronto radio show Tim and Sid before the playoffs started to get some energy into the crowd. Who showed up looking dapper and ready to send shivers down your spine? Scott Newlands. Any time he would come out and sing the anthem(s), you could not help but smile and be moved by not only his voice, but oh boy, that passion.

I’m also really hoping that was a terrible Maple Leafs pun. Otherwise, I have no idea what he was trying to say about shaking a tree.

It was a mad scramble on twitter that started with “Bozak taking warm-up, he’s in” to “Colborne taking warm-up, likely in for Bozak.” “Bozak only using one arm in warm-up”. Then the craziness began as Colborne was announced in the ACC as a scratch for game 6. So… Bozak is in, playing with one arm. But, wait! “Bozak is out with an upper body injury, Colborne takes his place.” And this went on for about 2 minutes before Scott Oake of Hockey Night In Canada reported Bozak is definitely sitting out. Everyone was confused.

Sigh, yea. I’ve got nothing to say about that one.

Seeing that pairing together was quite scary. All in all, they played a solid game, but I’ll use the term shakiness loosely to describe the first period.

The delay of game penalty early could have really hurt the Leafs and set them back. This was the perfect opportunity for the Bruins to get an early goal, but the Leafs penalty kill did it’s job, while the Bruins couldn’t get their power play set up. The Power play for both teams has been a struggle.

Still a scoreless game, Clarke MacArthur (inserted into the line-up in game 3) gives a spark to the Leafs with a power play chance.

https://twitter.com/CochraneCBCNL/status/333738440975863810

Even a non-Leafs supporter didn’t agree with the penalty on James Van Riemsdyk for goaltender interference. In that situation, it’s a battle for position. If Chara wants to push Van Riemsdyk into his own goalie, be my guest. In a position battle in front of the net, blatant crosschecks, high sticks and slashes should be called, when a guy falls into your goalie because you pushed him… let’s not call that goaltender interference.

https://twitter.com/ryan_mills/status/333762278719631361

So we go to the second period where no penalties are called and no goals are scored. What did happen? I can’t believe you don’t remember how big a deal it was that Reimer had to switch masks. Glenn Healy of Hockey Night In Canada could not believe Reimer was not shaken up about having to switch masks. Of course, it’s a nuisance. If switching your mask out while your primary goes for repairs and is back in 5 minutes throws you off your game… you might have a problem with focus. James Reimer had no such problems with remaining focused.

And the best of the best Reimer Mask tweets:

https://twitter.com/Rick_City/status/333746539614842881

https://twitter.com/ZackNogueira/status/333746606132310017

https://twitter.com/Rick_City/status/333757807788695552

All of that aside, the third period was upon us and it was about to get bananas. Kadri and Phaneuf were about to do something that has never been done before… combine to score a goal that means the world to the Leafs.

https://twitter.com/Jeffler/status/333758876916776960

And it was about to get real serious up in the ACC.

And it wouldn’t end there, Milan Lucic would score with 25 seconds left in the third to not only silence the ACC, but scare the living daylight out of any Leaf fan sweating and screaming expletives at their television.

Twitter became eerily quiet until the conclusion of the game where this tweet greeted me and it said basically everything you needed to know about the Leafs taking this to game 7 in Boston:

And then a few other good ones to round out a win:

Help me, Help you

The ACC
Home of the Leafs, The Air Canada Centre

The national anthems before every game are the one time where you can hear a pin drop. The silence between the time when the crowd stands, removes their hats, and is introduced to the anthem singer is the perfect time to hear the tension, expectation, and excitement for what is about to happen. The anthems get the players hyped up and excited to play. Ever wonder why they scrape the ice between their skates back and forth creating little piles of shaved ice under their feet? They’re nervous and they’re ready to go.

As a Canadian, I still feel pride when the American anthem is being sung. I respect their country and what they stand for. I would never boo their anthem. I would never boo any country’s anthem. It is the epitome of classlessness. Stay quiet, remain standing and wait your turn to sing your anthem louder than they sang theirs. Instill support behind your home team by belting out the words to the anthem you learned as soon as you gained the ability to talk.

The booing at a part of the USA’s national anthem last night at the ACC apparently happened because Chara was shown on the big screen at centre ice. The opposing team is always shown- a pan down the bench of the Boston Bruins who happen to be the American team (go figure) shouldn’t have inspired rage in some arrogant fans who decided to boo. If anyone saw the same thing I did, anthem singer Scott Newlands was a bit confused and thrown off by the boos. It’s hard to accept boos while you are singing your heart out and man, does he put everything into those anthems. The boos were not directed at him, but the boos should not have even taken place.

So Leaf fans, keep your boos to yourself. There will be plenty opportunities to boo a play on the ice, a botched call, or a goal. But please, do not boo the anthem of a Country- the identifier of that country and the words that represent that country should never be shamed.