Viral anti-Leafs fans are bringing a bodyguard with them to tonight's game

A father-daughter duo that went viral for trolling the Maple Leafs two nights ago is taking extra precaution heading into tonight’s game in Toronto.

Erv and his daughter Dani have been trolling the Leafs for years, going to great lengths to support whoever Toronto is playing that night. In Round 1 it was the Tampa Bay Lightning. They shifted their support to the Florida Panthers in Round 2.

Erv, who is actually a Montreal Canadiens fan, has Leafs season tickets and owns at least one jersey for 31 NHL teams. Dani has been slowly adding to her collection too, telling Global News Toronto on Thursday that she bought her Florida Panthers jersey 10 minutes prior to Game 1, at the Sport Chek across the street from the Leafs’ home arena.

But Dani won’t be wearing that jersey tonight, as a precaution, following all the media attention her and her father have received in the last 48 hours. The pair will also have a bodyguard with them.

“Tonight’s game, with all the negativity going around, we are going to take extra precaution. So for me personally, I will not be wearing a Florida Panthers jersey. Hope that mitigates the risk of something [bad] happening,” Dani told Global News anchor Miranda Anthistle.

“We will also have a bodyguard with us. But we will still be cheering for Florida.”

For years, Dani Di Giusto and her dad have been trolling #TorontoMapleLeafs fans by wearing opposing team jerseys at Toronto home games. She joins @Mirandanthistle to tell her side of the story. #LeafsForever #Panthers pic.twitter.com/hocCVRlefN

— Global News Toronto (@globalnewsto) May 4, 2023

Dani made it clear in the interview that cheering for Leafs opponents “is not from a place of hate.”

“We don’t want to cause any problems,” she said. “At the end of the day, we’re just there to watch a game and enjoy it together, no matter whose jersey we’re wearing.”

Erv and Dani have been trolling the Leafs for years in this manner, but it was not until Tuesday that their cover was blown.

“It’s such an amazing way to connect with my dad,” Dani told Daily Hive on Wednesday. “I think hockey is very special because when you’re sitting there as a Leafs fan you’re kind of high-fiving everyone [when they score], but for when you’re [cheering for] the visiting team and there’s not many other people around, it’s just you two enjoying the moment.”

Ummmm pic.twitter.com/xULVLwLkDD

— Rufus (@rufus_mcdaniel) May 3, 2023

Dani added that she’s been “fortunate enough to never really have a bad encounter” at a Leafs game, and hopefully that continues to be the case.

“I’m not a Leaf hater… I want them to do well. I just want the other team to do better.”

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