Toronto blowing their 4-1 lead in the 3rd period of Game 7 or Tampa getting swept, which is worse?

[LeafsNation75]

In Game 7 of the Maple Leafs and Bruins 2013 playoff series we all know that Toronto became the first team to lose a playoff series after leading by 3 goals in the 3rd period. However tonight the Lightning became the first team to win the President's Trophy and get swept in the first round of the playoffs, the fact they had 62 wins in the regular season only adds to how bad that looks.

So between these two completely different ways to lose a playoff series which one is a lot worse?

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[authentic]

I imagine both felt equally shitty for their fans but also think the Tampa one is objectively worse.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

Both are bad in their own way.

However, I imagine Tampa's is worse considering they were the top Stanley Cup contender and expected to win it all.

Toronto wasn't going to win much even if they squeezed past Boston. That roster was trash.

 

[ColbyChaos]

Toronto has to hurt the fans a lot more than Tampa imo. The fans at that point were over the moon having what is usually a safe lead knowing that they were minutes away from wining game 7 in a series they originally trailed 3-0. The cinderella story was in full effect and all the fans were invested and believed they were going to pull it off at that point but instead all that hope and joy was ripped out and torn to shreads the moment Bergeron tied it with 50 seconds left and eventually put the dagger in the heart in OT.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Toronto has to hurt the fans a lot more than Tampa imo. The fans at that point were over the moon having what is usually a safe lead knowing that they were minutes away from wining game 7 in a series they originally trailed 3-0. The cinderella story was in full effect and all the fans were invested and believed they were going to pull it off at that point but instead all that hope and joy was ripped out and torn to shreads the moment Bergeron tied it with 50 seconds left and eventually put the dagger in the heart in OT.

For the record Toronto was previously trailing that series 3-1, it was never 3-0.

 

[ColbyChaos]

For the record Toronto was previously trailing 3-1, it was never 3-0.

Darn thought it was 3-0 for some reason, either way to be dead in the water down 3-1 only to gain back hope and have it look like you are going to win game 7 only to have that ripped away in the dying minutes hurts

 

[34]

Both are bad for sure, but Tampa getting swept takes the cake on this one. Just awful.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Darn thought it was 3-0 for some reason, either way to be dead in the water down 3-1 only to gain back hope and have it look like you are going to win game 7 only to have that ripped away in the dying minutes hurts

Maybe you are thinking of the 2011 Blackhawks who were down 3-0 to the Canucks in the 1st round, forced a Game 7 and tied it late in the 3rd period, only to lose the series in overtime.

 

[CloutierForVezina]

How is this even close?

Toronto fans got their hopes up over the course of a few hours, and then got let down in a disastrous few minutes. It was an embarrassing lead to choke away, but nothing that crazy out of the ordinary in terms of hockey games. Even if Toronto won that series, they certainly weren't favored to go that much further.

Tampa fans have been dreaming about the playoffs since January when it was clear they were the best team in the NHL. The entire hockey community has been non-stop talking about how they're the team to beat, they're one of the only true cup contenders, how they might be the single best team in the last 30 years, etc. More than that, this is a team that has had actual consistent playoff success - they've been to the ECF or SCF in 3 of the last 4 years with worse teams. There was no reason to believe this team would fall apart in such a catastrophic manner, but there were tons of reasons to seriously believe they could win the cup this year.

Tampa had way more hype and expectations, and the fans had to watch the implosion drag out over an entire week.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

meant to vote Tampa but accidentally voted Toronto. Both were bad but Tampa easily takes this

 

[LeafsNation75]

meant to vote Tampa but accidentally voted Toronto. Both were bad but Tampa easily takes this

I edited the poll so you can now change your vote.

 

[Master P]

The leafs. Sure getting swept after such a good season sucks. But being up 4-1 with 10 min to go in game 7 against a rival only to watch it slip away is worse imo. There was a chance to win and move on to the next round. Tampa had no chance at winning.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

How is Toronto getting votes?

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

It's Tampa and it's not even close literally 100% of the vote should be for Tampa.

Toronto had a bad 3rd period and Reimer choked it away.

Tampa just got owned the entire series, they played about 30 good minutes in game 1 and maybe 10 last night and that IT.

At least Toronto can say Reimer blew it

Tampa just got destroyed

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Easily Tampa. Not even a discussion. How they played in the playoffs was embarrassing considering what they were capable of.

Leafs had a 1 shit period. How do the 2 even compare?

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

How is Toronto getting votes?

Because this website is FILLED with anti Leaf bias.

 

[vanarchy]

One of the teams barely showed up for an entire series and got swept.

The other one blew a lead in the third period of a game 7.

How are these two things at all comparable? Toronto at the very least won 3 games.

 

[Hatter of the Beach]

Tampa's is more embarrassing but as a fan, I think the Leafs loss would hurt more. Most Tampa fans had time to realize that the series was probably over after game 3, so there was no big surprise or let down in the moment.

 

[Master P]

Did people forget?

 

[Yackiberg8]

Toronto fans were just happy to be taking a team to a game 7 at that point. Tampa fans thought they were going to win the cup.

It’s Tampa easily.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

LOL. Toronto wasn't even supposed to be there. A more relevant poll (in terms of collapse) would be Boston blowing a 3-0 series lead and then a 3-0 game 7 lead.

 

[NyQuil]

The Leafs choke happened in a much shorter period of time which makes me think that it would be more painful.

They were on the verge of winning and it was snatched away.

Whereas, with Tampa, the writing was on the wall after Game 2 so it was more of an inevitable slow descent into hell.

For the record, as a Sens fan, it was more painful losing Game 7 in the ECFs to the Devils in 2003 with 2 minutes left than it was losing the Finals in 5 to the Ducks in 2007, for the same reason.

 

[KingsFan7824]

Because this website is FILLED with anti Leaf bias.

It could also just be that a Toronto fan starting a thread in an attempt to finally get out from the whole "it was 4-1" thing. The answer is TB, but people aren't going to let Leafs fans forget, as this is the internet after all. Plus that comes with the territory of being the largest fan base in the league. The Yankees are still the Evil Empire too.

 

[Fabs]

There were worse chokes than what the Leafs did before Tampa.

 

[bobholly39]

So many of these threads popping up. The answer is Tampa - it'll always be Tampa. I haven't heard one comparison yet that i think is worst than Tampa, or even close.

Pitt in 93? Super disappointing, one of the worst ever but....7 games?
Anaheim/Det 2003....Detroit played their hearts out, close OT games, just couldn't solve Giguere (arguably greatest goalie performance ever)
Caps in 2010....Halak. Through 1 round this may actually top Giguere. Caps played great overall
Warriors in 2016....they faced Lebron at top of his game. Nothing embarrassing about losing

Literally nothing else compares.