Boston sports fans can be a bit confrontational on social media at times … and they certainly are not afraid to call out a terrible take when they see one.
And oh boy did they see one following the Boston Bruins’ decimation of the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final.
Andy Specht, a political reporter for The News and Observer in Raleigh, N.C., got a little carried away following the loss, taking to Twitter in the moments following the B’s Game 2 victory to lash out against the Black and Gold.
Losing by 6 is embarrassing.
But it’s not as embarrassing as Boston’s lack of success over the past 4 decades. The Bruins only have 1 Stanley Cup since 1972.
Shoot, the Carolina Hurricanes have that many and they’ve only been around since 1997.
— Andy Specht (@AndySpecht) May 12, 2019
Alright, there’s a good chance Specht just is trying to get a rise out of Boston fans (congrats, it worked). But in case he wasn’t, let’s set some facts straight here.
First, let’s keep in mind that since the Hurricanes relocated to North Carolina in 1997 and changed their name from the Hartford Whalers, the Bruins have actually been vastly more successful.
The Hurricanes have been on quite the postseason dry spell over the last several seasons, failing to qualify for the postseason for the last nine seasons. Wildly enough, the last time they won an Eastern Conference semifinals series was back in 2008 in an intense seven-game set against — guess who — the Bruins. (They would end up being swept by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the conference final that year.)
Prior to that, the Canes qualified for the postseason just four times, reaching the Stanley Cup twice (and winning once) while failing to escape the first round the other two times.
The Bruins, meanwhile, have qualified for the postseason all but six times since the Hurricanes have come into existence, including one Stanley Cup of their own.
Not to mention Boston made the playoffs every single year from 1972 to 1996, the year before the Hurricanes ever came into existence.
Look, we understand losing by six is indeed embarrassing. But let’s try to remain rational here, shall we?
After all, the Canes remain undefeated at home during the postseason this year. So Carolina fans should at least be somewhat hopeful going into Game 3 on Tuesday.
