from Luke DeCock of the News & Observer,
It’s hard to say this wasn’t how it was supposed to end, since they were never supposed to be here in the first place. There was the expected ovation of appreciation from the fans who stuck it out to the end, albeit dampened by the circumstances.
The Carolina Hurricanes’ wild month-long ride came to the tamest of ends, a sweep at the hands of a clearly superior opponent, while their captain – maybe at the end of his career, maybe just approaching it – was still in his gear long after his teammates had left the dressing room. Justin Williams took it harder than anyone else, perhaps knowing better than anyone else how rarely these opportunities arise and how few, if any, he may have left at age 37.
It will take a while for this run to find the proper perspective, and no one was in position to do that after a 4-0 loss to complete the Boston Bruins’ sweep of the Eastern Conference finals on Thursday, the Prince of Wales Trophy presented on this ice for the third time, only once to the home team.
But in the tears and frustration and disappointment – and rank embarrassment over a rudderless power play that was inadequate all season and proved decidedly crippling in this series – there is at least a lesson in just how much this very young team has to improve to be competitive at this elite level.
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