Those bunch of jerks are still at it, and Don Cherry still disapproves.
While speaking on the "Coach’s Corner" segment during "Hockey Night in Canada" on Saturday, the commentator and former Bruins coach revisited his criticism of the Hurricanes' post-game celebrations and took things a step further by bashing the fan base.
"I don’t understand this," Cherry said. "I said this on Canada and it goes down in there. You know, it’s a funny thing. They know that it’s the wrong thing to do, or they’d do it in the playoffs. You do it in October, you don’t see them until March.
"I don’t understand. Well, I’m told, the owners said to entertain the crowd and they still draw 13-14 thousand people. And these people that are in here now, now they’re winning. Front-running fans as far as I’m concerned. That’s what they are."
When Ron MacLean commented that it's hard not to embrace the team, Cherry went off.
"I don’t embrace nothing. I said they look like a bunch of jerks being a fish in the water. A bowling ball with professional hockey. No sport in the world does it, except them. It comes down from the top. I want you to entertain the fans. The fans there now, the 17-18 thousand, they are front runners. They’re there because they win. Not because they act like fish."
Don Cherry vs. the Hurricanes is the best rivalry of the playoffs 😂 pic.twitter.com/kC6UzbF7mx
— Gino Hard (@Ginohard_) May 5, 2019
Naturally, the Hurricanes later trolled Cherry on social media.
We just can't stay out of the headlines lately pic.twitter.com/CQW0K7Srbb
— Carolina Hurricanes (@NHLCanes) May 5, 2019
Cherry slammed the Hurricanes and their celebrations in February, but the team embraced his criticism and even turned his rant into a T-shirt.
"These guys to me are jerks," Cherry said at the time. "And I’ll tell you one thing, they better not do this in the playoffs. This is a joke."
Hurricanes captain Justin Williams announced in March that Carolina would end its "Storm Surge" celebrations, acknowledging the stint served its purpose of providing something different to entertain fans while generating attention for the team.
But advancing to the Eastern Conference Final for the first time since 2008-09 has the team feeling festive again.
After topping the defending-champion Capitals and Islanders, the Hurricanes will next face the winner of the Blues-Bruins series, which Boston leads 3-2 entering Game 6 on Monday.