Leafs announcer slams home crowd as 'very disappointing'
CBC
Longtime Toronto Maple Leafs radio announcer Joe Bowen wasn't shy about his frustration with a listless crowd at Scotiabank Arena Wednesday night, as the team dropped game three of its first-round playoff series with the Boston Bruins.
Bereft of many opportunities for his signature "Holy Mackinaw" goal call as the Leafs skaters were held to just two goals — continuing a recent trend over the last several playoff games where the team can't seem to score — Bowen teed off on the crowd for being quiet.
"The idea of going to any sporting event to support the home team is to be PRO ACTIVE!!," Bowen wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
"Give the team energy when they need it … not sitting down waiting to be REACTIVE. The players can't say it but I will tonight's crowd was VERY DISAPPOINTING."
Criticism of quiet crowds at Scotiabank Arena is nothing new. Though Leaf fans travel well and tend to take over some visiting arenas in boisterous fashion (see Buffalo and Ottawa especially), Scotiabank Arena is often considered a comparatively reserved rink.
Many fans responded to Bowen with an age-old criticism — that lower bowl seats are reserved for corporate types because they're incredibly expensive:
Others pointed out that the team hasn't exactly given fans much to cheer about over the last few years:
The Bruins have had the Leafs' number in the playoffs over the last decade, beating the team in seven games in 2019, 2018, and famously in 2013 in the "it was 4-1" third period comeback debacle.
Boston currently leads the series two games to one, though the Leafs have been missing contributions from the likes of star winger William Nylander and surprising depth addition Bobby McMann, both of whom have yet to suit up for a game in the playoffs due to injury.
Special teams have proved to be much of the difference between the division rivals, with the Bruins scoring five out of 10 times on the power play so far, while the Leafs are languishing at a single goal out of 11 tries — a problem that often seems to rear its head for the team around this time of year.
The Leafs will be back in action against the Bruins Saturday night at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, starting at 8 p.m. ET.
Local fans and industry insiders say the province’s move to ban the reselling of event tickets for more than their original value is a step in the right direction, but some say there are still larger issues that need to be addressed.
This First Person column is the experience of Mehdi M. Kashani, who lives in Toronto. For more information about CBC's First Person stories, please see the FAQ.
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