vancouver canucks history
vancouver canucks history
The Canucks treated Vancouver Canucks ticket buyers to a Northwest Division Championship in their last full season. Vancouver fell just a game shy of pushing past Calgary in the playoffs. All the key components are still in place, and after a long layoff, the boys from General Motors Place feel like they have some unfinished business that needs taking care of. Namely giving Canucks ticket holders a Stanley Cup.
The Vancouver Canucks entered the NHL in 1970. The Canucks are named after Canadian hero Johnny Canuck, a legendary logger, skater, and occasional hockey player. The Canucks play home games in the General Motors Place and take to the ice in uniforms of both dark and light blue, red, and silver. Since 1970 the Canucks have twice appeared in the Stanley Cup Finals (1982, 1994), won four division championships, and boast of 20 postseason berths.
During the 1982 season, with the Canucks playing no better than average hockey, a brawl erupted during a game against the Quebec Nordiques that resulted in one of the Canucks best seasons ever. After head coach Harry Neale got into an altercation with Nordiques fans behind the Canucks bench the NHL suspended him and assistant coach Roger Neilson took over. Expecting the worst, Canuck ticket holders were treated to dream season in the NHL. Rallying behind Neilson, the Canucks embarked on a three game sweep of the Calgary Flames to post their first ever win in a playoff series. Moving on to the Smythe Division Finals, the surprising Canucks came out on top of a five game series with the Los Angeles Kings. In a stunning upset, Vancouver would advance to the Conference Finals under Neilson and emerge victorious after only five games to set up their first ever berth in the Stanley Cup Finals. The improbable ride ended just short though as the Canucks fell to the defending champion New York Islanders after only four games.
It would be 1994 before the Canucks would challenge for the Stanley Cup again. After a 2nd place finish in the Pacific Division, Vancouver entered the playoffs as a 7th seed, facing the Calgary Flames. With the Flames taking a 3-1 lead in the series, the Canucks came alive with a trio of overtime wins to stun Calgary and advance to the next round. After eliminating the Dallas Stars and the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Canucks found themselves in the Stanley Cup Finals for only the second time in team history. Facing the heavily favored New York Rangers the Canucks battled their way into the 7th game but couldn’t overcome a tough New York defense and ended up one game shy of the Cup.
Vancouver Canucks tickets delivered a solid offense in the last full NHL season, and the 2005-2006 season may be even better. Todd Bertuzzi, Markus Naslin, Anson Carter, and an improving cast of supporting players return with a purpose. Defensively the Canucks are good enough to repeat as Northwest Division Champions. With all the elements in place, it’s time to line up your Canucks ticket before they’re all gone.
