A sign held by a Maple Leafs fan outside the Air Canada Centre on Monday has triggered an avalanche of online outrage.
Before Monday night's Game 3 between the Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins, photos surfaced online of a Leafs holding a sign that read "Toronto Stronger."
The message is a direct reference to "Boston Strong," a campaign that became a mantra in that city after the Boston Marathon bombings. The April 15 explosions killed three people and injured more than 260.
Shortly after the sign appeared, it triggered an angry response on Twitter, with many saying the sign was in bad taste in light of the Boston attacks.
Here is one of the more tame expressions of anger stirred up by the sign:
"Overwhelmingly, the reaction has been that it was done in bad taste, that it was inappropriate, that it was classless," CBC sports reporter Carly Agro said on CBC News Network Tuesday.
Agro said there are unconfirmed reports that some fans inside the Air Canada Centre were chanting "Toronto stronger" during Monday's game.
"Certainly this is not being received well at all," said Agro, referring to the online reaction.
Agro pointed out that many Torontonians took part in a moment of silence that paid tribute to victims of the Boston bombings ahead of Sunday's Toronto marathon.
Boston defeated Toronto 5-2 on Monday to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven playoff series.
[View the story "'Toronto Stronger' sign outside Leafs game angers hockey fans" on Storify]
Storified by CBC News Community· Tue, May 07 2013 05:03:07
A Leafs fan holding a sign bearing a ribbon and the slogan "Toronto Stronger" — a reference to the Boston Strong campaign that followed the bombings there — is drawing anger from both sides of the hockey rivalry.
This seriously bugs me!! SHOW SOME RESPECT!! #Leafs #BostonStrong #Bruins http://pic.twitter.com/Li6z5bnj86Sarah Sweeney
Yikes, man with a Toronto Stronger sign... Just awful taste. pic.twitter.com/ejQuboQLZjGot Kasparaitis
Toronto sports journalists were among the first to notice the sign on Twitter.
A fan holds up a "Toronto Stronger" sign on the jumbotron and they quickly pan away... #ruhrohJames Mirtle
Lord help us. Some guy just held up a "Toronto Stronger" sign and it made the videboard. Idiots.Jeff Blair
Most Toronto hockey fans were quick to condemn the fan for mocking the city's response to the Boston Marathon bombing.
That guy with the #torontostronger sign is so disappointing.Chemmy
Between the photo and the headline this basically put me in full ragestroke mode: bit.ly/13dOX8eDown Goes Brown
That Toronto stronger sign was the dumbest thing I've ever seen #cleanitupleafsnationNick Spadafora
I move to evict the "Toronto Stronger" sign guy from the #MapleLeafs fanbase. Anyone with me?The_Road_Guy
Dear Leafs fan with the Toronto Stronger sign, you are a complete douchenozzle and your hockey/Canadian/human card is hereby revoked #idiotHailee W
However, some didn't think the sign was a big deal.
I don't see the problem with the #torontostronger sign. It's just in good fun at hockey game. Whatever. Sensitive much?Thomas Czech
In Boston, fans were understandably outraged. The sign spread among Bruins fans online, and CBS in Boston reports that the phrase "Toronto Stronger" was trending in that city.
Bruins win! But not before a Maple Leafs Fan Defines Classless By Bringing 'Toronto Stronger' Sign to Game [Photo] http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2013/05/06/maple-leafs-fan-defines-classless-by-bringing-toronto-stronger-sign-to-bruins-game-photo/BostInno
Guy with "Toronto Stronger" sign at Bruins will be beat up by Boston's Strongest after the game. #USAOnion News Boston
The #TorontoStronger might be the most disrespectful thing I have seen... Tasteless, he should be kicked out of the game @MapleLeafsBoston Bachelor
I hope the "Toronto Stronger" guy knows his life as he knew it is over. #Bruins #LeafsJason Chalifour
A good way to apologize on behalf of the dumbass fan w/the "Toronto Stronger" sign is to donate to One Fund Boston: bit.ly/13ZxLCqSteph
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