As is often the case, not everything captured on tape is exactly how it seems.
In the minutes following the end of Game 4 of the Toronto-Boston series, social media exploded with reactions to what appeared to be an exchange, caught on video, between Leafs netminder James Reimer’s wife April and team captain Dion Phaneuf’s fiancée, actress Elisha Cuthbert.
In the short clip that quickly went viral, Reimer is seen shooting an icy look back at Cuthbert only moments after Boston’s David Krejci notched his third goal of the night to give the Bruins the overtime win. Cuthbert only rolls her eyes in response.
The goal, which came as a result of a blown check by Phaneuf moments before, sent Boston ahead in the playoff series 3-1 overall.
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On social media, fans immediately assumed that bad play caused April Reimer to glare at Cuthbert.
According to Reimer, though, the look back had nothing to do with the play on the ice. Taking to Twitter, Reimer said she was reacting to something a fan had shouted her way and had nothing to do with Cuthbert or Phaneuf.
Cuthbert also weighed in on the swirling speculation. “Things are not always what they seem. I’m insulted and disappointed by a lot of these Comments,” she tweeted.
Despite the public denials, many news outlets ran with the ‘death stare’ angle.
It’s likely Reimer and Phaneuf will have to speak to this at some point in the coming week — and that might actually be a welcome distraction from having to speak about their performance in the last two games against the Bruins.
This story and its headline have been updated.
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