‘Always Beleaf’: What Leafs fans are saying ahead of Game 6 against Boston

Optimism is running high among Toronto Maple Leafs fans on social media Thursday ahead of the team’s do-or-die game against the Boston Bruins.

The Leafs are hoping to level their first-round NHL playoff series and force a Game 7 in Boston after squeaking out a 2-1 overtime win on Tuesday night to make the series 3-2.

Fans on Thursday morning were hopeful for a victory, despite the Leafs going winless in their last six NHL playoff games on home ice.

“Always Beleaf,” wrote @thurls92 on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“It’s a beautiful day for a Leafs win!” said X user @triplet_16.

Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters on Wednesday his club will need to play even better than they did in Game 5 in order to win. They’ll have to do without star forward Auston Matthews, who will miss Thursday’s game with an illness that forced him to sit out Tuesday’s match.

“As difficult as this one was here (Tuesday), the next one’s going to be even harder,” Keefe said.

“You got their attention.”

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A playoff win on home ice Thursday will be the first since Game 2 of last year’s first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

“(We) haven’t been good on home ice,” Keefe said.

“We’ve earned ourselves another opportunity to fix that.”

Boston blew a 3-1 lead against Florida in last year’s opening round and lost in seven games, however, the Leafs still have a mountain to climb against a team stinging from that ouster following a record-setting season.

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In fact, Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery told reporters Wednesday he was “still pissed off” about Tuesday’s loss.

“I don’t understand and don’t accept our play last night,” ESPN reported him as saying.

“I’m going to be pissed off until the puck drops [in Game 6].”

Last year’s first-round let down could be felt among Bruins fans taking to social media on Thursday morning, with many hoping their team ends the series tonight.

“Game day. Let’s get serious,” said X user @wickedbruins37.

“Don’t let it go to game 7,” X user @Struzz21 wrote.

Game 6 puck drop between the Leafs and Bruins is set for 8 p.m. Eastern on Thursday at Scotiabank Arena.

— with files from The Associated Press

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