Some Canes Fans Missed It. Some Didn’t.

So, about last Friday’s 5-4 OT win on Pride Night over the San Jose Sharks. The one where Carolina Hurricanes fans bolted to the exits at 18:08 after a Mario Ferro empty net goal, only to wish they stuck around to see the Hurricanes come back from a 2-4 deficient on goals from Sebastian Aho and Martin Necas with under 2:00 minutes left in the game to force overtime. Then, not a minute into OT, Necas scored again off a pinpoint assist from Andre Svechnikov. Yeah. That one. Lemme talk to y’all about that one. 

I was there Friday night and came a hare’s breath away from leaving like so many other fans did. If the folks sitting on either side of me had made their way to the exits, I would have too. One couple are die-hard Caniacs and wouldn’t dream of it. The other had two young kids who had somehow (inhumanly) fallen and remained asleep through the whole thing. It was past their bedtimes, so all is unarguably forgiven on that front.

What made me stay?

I am not sure. I am glad I did, but I still cannot explain why.

Do I blame fans for leaving after the ENG?

Absolutely not!

Friday’s game was a sleeper until it wasn’t. Carolina did not look into it. San Jose’s goals were so-so. Their first looked like it belonged on a highlight reel of Dewayne’s “Super Soft Birthday Party” circa 1989. The empty netter was not even all that exciting. (The almost empty netter was exciting) Despite a very exciting slap shot goal from Glennwood Ave by half of the “Hanfield Express” (Calvin de Haan), very solid defense from the other (Jalen Chatfield), and a nifty power play goal from Aho it was a snoozer. Andre Svechnikov played his new physical game with some good board crashing, but that’s about it.

Where certain members of the Canes community come from getting upset at the fans for leaving, I do not know, but I am not here for it. I can forgive the players and coaches for saying something, as it has to be disappointing to see, but fans….nah. I ain’t here for that at all.

We’re fans. We can check out as we please. This is not the Hotel California.

Unless you are being rude or derogatory towards a group of people, you can do as we please without hearing about it from other fans. That is something folks in certain corners of the social media world need to remember. Just like there is not an award for voting 888,888,888 times from Martin Necas in the All-Star Voting, there is not an award for staying at a game past what is typically the back breaking goal. Fans calling out other fans who hit the bricks on a 4-2 game against the San Jose Sharks is petty and just not worth your time.

Now…..calling out people who leave before the Storm Surge….that’s a different topic all…together…..

(and yes, I am aware of the irony)