Canucks ready for road tilt vs. Devils
With Vancouver playing a matinee today in New Jersey, Patrick Johnston looks back at some of the team’s notable year-end games.
2009 VS. ST. LOUIS
The 4-3 overtime win at St. Louis’ Scottrade Center on Dec. 31, 2009, was one that ticked off a few boxes: a fight, some rough stuff, a comeback, an overtime goal
Rick Rypien fought Cam Janssen in the first period. There were four further skirmishes, none to the same degree as Rypien’s, but all were about animosity.
Then there were the goals. The Blues had built up a 3-0 lead through the game’s first 35-plus minutes, but a power-play goal by Daniel Sedin with just under four minutes to go in the middle frame set the comeback in motion.
The Canucks tallied twice more in the third period, then won in overtime on a Christian Ehrhoff power play goal.
2003 VS. CHICAGO
The Canucks were the heavy favourites skating into the United Center, home to a Chicago club that had won just nine games all season.
It was a surprise that the Canucks didn’t just run away with this one, even more so when you realize the Canucks led 3-1 midway through the second period.
The Hawks got a late second period goal from Mark Bell, then a power play marker from Tuomo Ruutu with just over eight minutes left in the third period to tie things up.
The Canucks won it 4-3 on a lastminute overtime power play goal from Todd Bertuzzi.
1995 VS. PHILADELPHIA
The Canucks would host the Flyers on New Year’s Eve at GM Place for four straight years in the late ’90s. The home team was thumped twice — 6-2 in 1998, 8-0 in 1997 — and collapsed in the third period in 1996.
The first showdown, though, a 5-5 tie in 1995, was a highlight. The Flyers held a 3-1 lead to start the third period but an early Jyrki Lumme goal pulled the Canucks within one.
The Flyers then scored twice, looking to put the game out of reach
But that vintage of the Canucks did one thing very, very well: They scored goals.
First, there was a power-play goal from Russ Courtnall. Then, with less than two minutes to play, Martin Gelinas scored a short-handed goal, set up by Alex Mogilny and Trevor Linden as the Canucks pulled their goalie for the extra attacker.
Mogilny then completed the comeback, scoring his 28th goal of the season — a fantastic first season in Vancouver — with just five seconds to play.
1991 AND 1992 VS. LOS ANGELES
A double-dose here as the Canucks played the Kings two years in a row.
The 1991 game at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, Calif., saw the Canucks — just a month into the Pavel Bure era — win 5-3. Trailing 2-0 going into the third
period, a pair of goals 40 seconds apart — at 6:11 and 6:51 — from Trevor Linden and Cliff Ronning tied the game up.
A Luc Robitaille goal with 10:46 to play put the Kings back in front.
But a Bure goal with 5:02 to play tied things up, then a Tom Fergus tally with 1:36 to play put the Canucks in front. (Ryan Walter added an empty-net goal.)
A year later, this time at the Pacific Coliseum, the Canucks won 4-0.
This one was a heavyweight tilt in more ways than one.
Both clubs were high atop the Smythe Division standings, though Wayne Gretzky fought a back injury all year and only played 45 games for the Kings.
The game also featured a rough third period, with Linden and future Canuck John McIntyre getting involved just seven seconds in the third, drawing coincidental roughing penalties.
The referee whistled for four more minors in the period’s first eight minutes.
Then things got really wild. At 10:06, Jiri Slegr — of all people — got into a fight, dropping the gloves with Marc Fortier. Two minutes later, McIntyre got into it with Greg Adams after throwing an elbow. Gino Odjick then went to the box for slashing.
A minute after the Odjick slash, Adrien Plavsic found himself jumped by Jim Thomson.
1987 VS. WINNIPEG
Less notable for goals, more notable for fights. The 1980s were a mad time in hockey, with fights, fights, fights.
The Canucks won the game at the Coliseum 2-1, but the real story was a combined 296 minutes in penalties.
A line brawl at 13:38 of the first period saw seven players handed game misconducts by referee Paul Stewart: Winnipeg ’s Jim Nill, Laurie Boschmann, Steve Rooney and Dave Ellett and Vancouver’s Daryl Stanley, Jim Sandlak and Craig Coxe.
Winnipeg’s Gilles Hamel, Ray Neufeld and Peter Taglianatti along with Vancouver’s Randy Boyd, Tony Tanti, Petri Skriko, Dave Richter and Doug Lidster also got caught up in the melee and received penalties for their roles.
1981 VS. EDMONTON
The first New Year’s Eve game in Canucks history. The 1981-82 Oilers squad would, of course, find themselves facing down the mighty New York Islanders at the close of the season for the Stanley Cup, but along the way was an entertaining 3-1 win for the Canucks at the Pacific Coliseum.
The Oilers were strong favourites for this one. They arrived with 25 wins under their belt, 11 more than the Canucks.
Stan Smyl opened scoring for the Canucks 1:49 into the game, set up by Thomas Gradin. Gradin then scored at 8:05 to spot the Canucks a 2-0 lead.
Darcy Rota then got the Canucks’ third goal midway through the second. Glenn Anderson spoiled Richard Brodeur’s shutout attempt in the third. He made 25 saves on the night.
As they say, this is why you play the game.