We see some of the best hockey possible in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and if you follow along on social media during the games you’ll also notice top-notch hockey Twitter trolls—some of whom happen to be Hockey Hall of Famers—doing their best to infuriate certain fan bases.
On Monday, during Game 3 of the Washington Capitals–Toronto Maple Leafs first-round series, Mike Modano sent out a few tongue-in-cheek tweets that drew the ire of Maple Leafs supporters.
When the Capitals went up 2-0 in the first five minutes of the opening period after beating Frederik Andersen with their first two shots on goal, the longtime member of the Dallas Stars lobbed this internet grenade.
The backlash was immediate since it was so early in the game but it didn’t stop him from taking another dig at Canadian hockey fans when Auston Matthews registered his first career playoff goal to cut the lead to 2-1.
“I think I hit a nerve,” a chuckling Modano told Andrew Walker and Ben Ennis on Sportsnet 590 The Fan Tuesday. “That’s how passionate Canadian fans are…It’s fun. They love hockey and they love their home team.”
The Maple Leafs ended up completing the comeback and winning the game in overtime courtesy of a Tyler Bozak redirect.
Popular Maple Leafs radio play-by-play man Joe Bowen unsurprisingly had a great OT goal call on Sportsnet 590 The Fan, and since Modano’s tweets from earlier in the night had hundreds of retweets, Bowen was well aware of them.
“Hey, Mike Modano! There’s going to be at least six games!” Bowen yelled.
Of course, that’s true…if the Caps win the series. If the series does end in five games, however, it will be the underdog Maple Leafs moving on to face the winner of Pittsburgh-Columbus.
Added Bowen’s broadcast partner Jim Ralph: “I hope he’s right. I hope it’s five.”
As the ultimate apology, Modano played the only card there really was to play…
The Maple Leafs are leading a playoff series for the first time since 2004 and have the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Capitals in a precarious position. Despite being massive favourites heading into this series, Washington is known as a perennial playoff disappointment.
Game 4 takes place Wednesday in Toronto.
