Maple Leafs players can count on the support of thousands of fans in Toronto and across the country, and in the case of forward Ryan O’Reilly, that support is familiar and enduring.
Ahead of Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Florida Panthers on Friday, the veteran was asked to chat a little about his bodyguard’s encouragement and specifically a photo posted to Twitter by his father Brian. The image shows a group of seniors who reside in Seaforth, Ontario, dressed in the colors of the Leafs. Among them is the hockey player’s grandmother, Oma, 103, who doesn’t hide her loyalty.
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“Yes, I saw the photo. It’s incredible because one of the goals in the playoffs is to get into a bubble to stay in a group away from outside comment. “However, when you see similar photos, it is special, not only for us, but also for those who are part of it,” he said in a press conference. My grandmother is probably my biggest supporter and that means a lot to me.”
The Spring 2019 Stanley Cup winner with the St. Louis Blues also has opportunities to speak with his family often and direction, particularly for the evening’s scheduled meeting, is clear.
“Get in the ass!” he admitted with a smile at the end of his interview with the media. My mother takes it much more seriously than I do. If we lose, she won’t talk to me for a day or two. Then she will call me angrier than I was before.
The Leafs definitely need that support, they are 3-1 behind in their series.