It happened again.
On Sunday, the Toronto Maple Leafs lost another Game 7—something hockey fans can basically set their watch to every spring—this time in supremely demoralizing fashion, getting thoroughly dominated at home by the Florida Panthers. But beyond the events that took place on the ice, there was another expected-but-notable occurrence on Sunday night in the 6ix: Justin Bieber wore an especially conspicuous outfit. With a massive, salmon-toned jacket from the Utah menswear label Bad Son, a fuzzy, Russian-style hat, and dark sunglasses, Bieber stood out amid the droves of blue sweaters.
All smiles at this point of the evening.Michael Chisholm/Getty Images
Seated right behind the Maple Leafs bench with his wife Hailey—who opted for a vintage Leafs Starter jacket for her own tunnel fit, soundtracked by a Skrillex song on her husband’s Instagram—the couple had a rinkside vantage point for the 6-1 loss. Unlike in the NBA playoffs, though, where celebrity row is typically highlighted within the first few moments of the broadcast, the Biebers flew slightly under the radar on the TNT broadcast. It wasn’t until later in the game, with the Panthers’ onslaught well underway, that the camera panned to the diehard Leafs fan and his funky hat. By then, any strands of positive energy had left the building and the familiar here we go again doom loomed over the arena like the CN Tower.
With Sunday’s embarrassment, the Leafs have now lost seven straight Game 7s, this one coming after they had a 2-0 lead in the series. The last time they left a Game 7 with a win was in the first round of the 2004 playoffs against the Ottawa Senators, when Justin Bieber was 10 years old. A win on Sunday would have sent the embattled franchise to its first Conference Finals since 2002, but instead they were bounced by a Florida team that looked like they simply wanted it more.