You see, I understand too well the difference there. As a New England Patriots fan, I had to come to that realization and acceptance of that distinction when the Patriots lost to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl on February 3, 2008.
The Patriots did not lose to an inferior team. The team that won was de facto better. Even truer in this case, because it was seven games, not one.
This is not meant as a gloat, because I don't believe in that. But just as the Giants were clearly a better team in beating my beloved Patriots, the Bruins were clearly better as a team in beating the Canucks.
Read the stats. Boston got lucky this time and benefited from injuries. Give Horton back to Boston and give Hamhuis, Rome, Raymond, etc. back to Vancouver... No, I’m sorry: Vancouver is the better team. Boston beat half a Canucks team. I guess, in the sense of injuring the other teams’ players to bring them down to your own skill level - in that sense, Boston was the better team...