VANCOUVER—There’ s something special about being in a Canadian city with a team in the NHL playoffs—hockey is religion in Canada, after all.
You not only see it in the increased number of car flags and people walking around wearing hockey jerseys; you can feel the electricity in and around the city.
The hockey fans in the city of Vancouver, as fair-weathered as they are, are passionate about their Canucks in much the same way as people in Boston rabidly support the Red Sox and people in Manchester, England support Manchester United.
The hockey team has sold out every game at its home arena—that would be General Motors Place—since November 14, 2002, and this past Saturday’s playoff game against the Chicago Blackhawks, a 4–2 loss, was no exception.
Prior to the time when doors to the arena opened, fans congregated in the north plaza of GM Place grounds.
Dubbed the “Party on the Plaza,” a local cover band, Dr. Strangelove, performed some recognizable tunes, ex-Canuck Darcy Rota signed autographs at a booth, souvenirs were sold in the adjacent booth, Canuck mascot Fin was walking around waving a Canucks flag, while a sea of blue with green, with a smattering of red and black, got pumped up for the game.
In the surrounding area, local sports bars saw people lining up, hoping to grab a seat to watch the game, while throngs of cars searching for parking drove by horns-a-honking with as many as four car flags flapping in the breeze—such is game day.
Dylan Soo, an associate professor in the Faculty of Tourism at Royal Roads University, says that the playoffs are the best time of year.
“If [the Canucks] win, it is super exciting,” he says.
“I have been to a few [playoff games] and they all seem to be the same since 2000. The place is rocking and it seems that everyone who is a Canucks fan is a friend.”
Cary Hungle gave up his Canucks season tickets about five years ago but still likes taking in a playoff game or two and he definitely notices the postseason vibe.
“There is a real buzz, especially before the game and while the Canucks have a lead. You can get wrapped up enough in the atmosphere that you don’t really notice the beer is $8.25,” quipped the teacher and school administrator.
The buzz can even be felt at Hungle’s place of employment.
“There is a lot of banter in my grade 7 class [on gameday],” explained Hungle.
“There is a Nikolai Khabibulin [Chicago’s goalie] fan that has been taking heat and is loving it. Also in the younger classes where the teacher is excited you see a lot of logos/jerseys and enthusiasm.”
GM Place holds about 18,630, so obviously not everyone in the city will get to watch the game live and local-area pubs and sports bars reap the rewards as people watch the game while enjoying a pint and a burger.
Soo has also enjoyed a game on a big screen HDTV, at a licensed establishment but unlike the live-game experience, the results of the sports bar atmosphere vary.
“[The bar experience] depends on what type of pub it is due to the patrons,” he explained.
“Those pubs that are more sports specific have a more intense atmosphere but regardless, the atmosphere is great as it is the next best thing to being at a game.”
The team traveled to Chicago for Game 6 on Monday down 3–2 in the series and while it was a barn-burner the Canucks lost a high-scoring 7–5 affair. And thus the playoff series, much to the chagrin of all the “Canuckle Heads” came to an end.
The sightings of a Canucks jersey and car flags might become more of a rare occurrence as the fans get over the sting of elimination but if the team qualifies for the playoffs next season, the buzz will begin anew.
This is a city that lives and dies with its Vancouver Canucks after all.
You not only see it in the increased number of car flags and people walking around wearing hockey jerseys; you can feel the electricity in and around the city.
The hockey fans in the city of Vancouver, as fair-weathered as they are, are passionate about their Canucks in much the same way as people in Boston rabidly support the Red Sox and people in Manchester, England support Manchester United.
The hockey team has sold out every game at its home arena—that would be General Motors Place—since November 14, 2002, and this past Saturday’s playoff game against the Chicago Blackhawks, a 4–2 loss, was no exception.
Prior to the time when doors to the arena opened, fans congregated in the north plaza of GM Place grounds.
Dubbed the “Party on the Plaza,” a local cover band, Dr. Strangelove, performed some recognizable tunes, ex-Canuck Darcy Rota signed autographs at a booth, souvenirs were sold in the adjacent booth, Canuck mascot Fin was walking around waving a Canucks flag, while a sea of blue with green, with a smattering of red and black, got pumped up for the game.
In the surrounding area, local sports bars saw people lining up, hoping to grab a seat to watch the game, while throngs of cars searching for parking drove by horns-a-honking with as many as four car flags flapping in the breeze—such is game day.
Dylan Soo, an associate professor in the Faculty of Tourism at Royal Roads University, says that the playoffs are the best time of year.
“If [the Canucks] win, it is super exciting,” he says.
“I have been to a few [playoff games] and they all seem to be the same since 2000. The place is rocking and it seems that everyone who is a Canucks fan is a friend.”
Cary Hungle gave up his Canucks season tickets about five years ago but still likes taking in a playoff game or two and he definitely notices the postseason vibe.
“There is a real buzz, especially before the game and while the Canucks have a lead. You can get wrapped up enough in the atmosphere that you don’t really notice the beer is $8.25,” quipped the teacher and school administrator.
The buzz can even be felt at Hungle’s place of employment.
“There is a lot of banter in my grade 7 class [on gameday],” explained Hungle.
“There is a Nikolai Khabibulin [Chicago’s goalie] fan that has been taking heat and is loving it. Also in the younger classes where the teacher is excited you see a lot of logos/jerseys and enthusiasm.”
Sports Bar Experience
GM Place holds about 18,630, so obviously not everyone in the city will get to watch the game live and local-area pubs and sports bars reap the rewards as people watch the game while enjoying a pint and a burger.
Soo has also enjoyed a game on a big screen HDTV, at a licensed establishment but unlike the live-game experience, the results of the sports bar atmosphere vary.
“[The bar experience] depends on what type of pub it is due to the patrons,” he explained.
“Those pubs that are more sports specific have a more intense atmosphere but regardless, the atmosphere is great as it is the next best thing to being at a game.”
The team traveled to Chicago for Game 6 on Monday down 3–2 in the series and while it was a barn-burner the Canucks lost a high-scoring 7–5 affair. And thus the playoff series, much to the chagrin of all the “Canuckle Heads” came to an end.
The sightings of a Canucks jersey and car flags might become more of a rare occurrence as the fans get over the sting of elimination but if the team qualifies for the playoffs next season, the buzz will begin anew.
This is a city that lives and dies with its Vancouver Canucks after all.
