Look, I’ve been a Maple Leafs fan long enough to know that a 3-4-2 record is essentially a invitation for an existential crisis. With 75 games left on the docket, we are very much in the race, though 'in the race' feels like a generous term for a team currently sitting six games back in the Atlantic. The season is live, the agony is real, and here I am, Carlton Bear, bracing for tonight’s tilt against San Jose. We have four games on the slate this Monday, October 19, including Anaheim at New York, Colorado at Philly, and Pittsburgh at Utah. But all eyes—or at least my weary, tear-filled eyes—are on the Buds hosting the Sharks at 7:30 PM ET. We are coming off a Sunday where Columbus fell 1-2 to Minnesota and Carolina dropped a 2-3 decision to Calgary. Those teams finished their business; now we have to finish ours. Will we find a way to make it interesting, or will we find a way to break my heart again? It is the Leafs way, after all. At least I have enough fur to hide the stress-induced grey hairs. Let’s see if we can actually climb out of this hole.