Drouin Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Game Preview Senators @ Canucks Senators The Ottawa Senators are looking forward to Sunday's Heritage Classic against the Vancouver Canucks, but know their focus has to be on picking up two points rather than the novelty of playing outdoors. After dropping a 6-1 loss to Detroit on Thursday night, the Senators now sit five points back of the Red Wings for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. Sunday's game at BC Place will be the first in a four-game Western Canada road trip for the Senators and could have a significant impact on their playoff aspirations. "We're going to have fun with everything leading up to the game and playing the game, but at the same time we're professionals," centre Zack Smith said. "We need the two points. We know how important it is. It will be different, but we'll be ready." The Heritage Classic will be the Senators first experience with a stadium game and players say they want to enjoy the atmosphere and revel in the excitement of playing in this kind of environment. "It's going to be a lot of fun," said forward Mika Zibanejad. "I've seen a lot of these games on television and even played them on video games so it's going to be fun to be part of one." Smith, a native of Maple Creek, Sask., has a number of friends and family attending the game. "I played outdoors in the AHL and it was awesome," Smith said. "It was different, a lot of fun and it's still competitive because there's two points on the line." Senators coach Paul MacLean believes the excitement of the Heritage Classic could be exactly what the team needs after the deflating loss to the Red Wings. "I think we should be looking forward to the opportunity that we have in Vancouver and the Heritage game," said MacLean. "I think it's going to be a good stage for us to be on and I think it's a good thing for us. I think it's exactly what we need. It's something, a big event like this to really get us focused and get us ready to play." Like the Senators, the Canucks are on the outside of the playoff picture and two points on Sunday would be instrumental in their push for a playoff spot. The Senators anticipate both teams will enjoy Saturday's practice and will take time to soak in the atmosphere, but once the puck drops Sunday it will be business as usual. As a native of New Westminster, B.C., forward Kyle Turris has been looking forward to this game since it was announced. Turris will have close to 40 friends and family on hand for the game and says he wants to make the most of the experience. Turris has been in the stadium to watch the CFL's B.C. Lions and says he even had the opportunity to play football as a teenager in the stadium, but says this will be unlike any other game. "I'm really excited," said Turris. "It's going to be fun. It's going to be great. I think it will be a great experience. It will be a different atmosphere, but I think it will be fun." Like his teammates Turris knows the focus has to be on playing the best game possible, but doesn't believe that has to come at the expense of enjoying the opportunity. "You want to take in the experience and how neat it is and learn from it for the future," said Turris. "At the same time you want to realize it's an important game and one that goes towards the standings. It's one we need to win. Canucks When Daniel Sedin asked on the B.C. Place Stadium roof open or closed for the NHL’s Heritage Classic. “Open, for sure,” said Sedin after a news conference in which he and a couple of other Vancouver Canucks helped launch the marketing drive for the March 2 regular-season game against the Ottawa Senators. “I played outdoors for the first five years growing up,” said Sedin, who played shinny as well as league games outdoors in his hometown of Ornskoldsvik, Sweden. “The outdoor rink was really cold. a A lot of memories, and I’m sure they’re going to come back in a special way.” The Ottawa-Vancouver clash is one of six outdoor games being staged by the NHL this season. The news conference offered no deals on what efforts will be made to ensure that the ice is of high quality during conditions that could much warmer than other outdoor NHL contests that have involved frigid temperatures as well as rain for which Vancouver is famous. But Sedin said he is confident that conditions will be safe, and predicted the noise level will be comparable to those at CFL games. “I’ve been to a few B.C. Lions games and it can get loud,” said Sedin. “I hope it’s going to be the same when we play. Hopefully, it’s a soldout game.” Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson and B.C. Place, sponsor Tim Hortons, NHL, NHL Players Association and CBC representatives expressed hope that the game will showcase the city and grow the game on the West Coast. Bieksa said he and his Canucks teammates are looking forward to playing in the stadium after being excluded from other outdoor NHL contests. “Most of us grew up learning how to skate outdoors,” said Bieksa. “It’s ironic that we come back and we’ll be playing outdoors. We’ve been watching these games for a few years now and chomping at the bit, hoping we could get into one. a We’re all pretty excited. It’ll be an interesting experience.” He fondly recalled playing many games outdoors while growing up in the small town of Grimsby, Ont. “They were intense,” he said. “There was no time limit, full contact, a couple fights, and you went home when you were too cold.” He said it will be different playing in Vancouver’s potentially warmer climate, but the game will still provide an interesting experience. He also hopes its shines a spotlight on B.C.’s hockey history. Ironically, Vancouver hosted one of the first-ever indoor pro games, in the early 1900s, before a crowd of about 10,000 at Denman Arena, which later burned down. The province was also home to such hockey legends as Fred (Cyclone) Taylor, who led the Vancouver Millionaires to the Stanley Cup in 1915, and the brothers Frank and Lester Patrick, who introduced novelties, such as the forward pass and backup goaltender, that are now taken for granted. “One thing I haven’t really mentioned (during the news conference) is, we’re celebrating the heritage of hockey in B.C.,” said Bieksa. “Our province doesn’t really get as much credit as Ontario and Quebec, but there’s a lot of history here. The temperature is a little bit milder, so not a lot of kids grow up skating outdoors and stuff, but there’ve been some good teams here over the years. There’s a lot of people that love this game in B.C., and we’re going to celebrate that on March 2nd.” Looking forward to playing before an anticipated crowd of more than 50,000, he predicted the city will “put on a good show.” But Bieksa and Canucks general manager Mike Gillis, stressing the tightness of the Western Conference, said the game will be more than just a spectacle as Vancouver attempts to secure a playoff spot in the stretch drive of the season. Stats Senators (26-23-11) at Canucks (28-24-10) Leading Scorers VAN - Daniel Sedin - GP 62 - G13, A27, 40 Points OTT - Erik Karlsson - GP 60 - G15, A40, 55 Points Starting Goalies VAN - Eddie Lack - GP 24 - W 9, L 8, OTL 4 - GAA 2.05, SV% .925 OTT - Craig Anderson - GP 42 - W 19, L 12, OTL 8 - GAA 3.09, SV% .908 Lineups Ottawa Milan Michalek - Jason Spezza - Cory Conacher Clarke MacArthur - Kyle Turris - Erik Condra Mike Hoffman - Mika Zibanejad - Bobby Ryan Colin Greening - Zack Smith - Chris Neil Marc Methot - Erik Karlsson Jared Cowen - Eric Gryba Chris Phillips - Cody Ceci Craig Anderson Robin Lehner Link Vancouver Daniel Sedin - Henrik Sedin - Alex Burrows Chris Higgins - Ryan Kesler - Jannik Hansen David Booth - Brad Richardson - Zack Kassian Tom Sestito - Jordan Schroeder - Raphael Diaz Dan Hamhuis - Jason Garrison Alex Edler - Chris Tanev Ryan Stanton - Kevin Bieksa Eddie Lack Roberto Luongo BC Place VANCOUVER -- Shortly after updating its private suites and concessions in the first phase of a major renovation, BC Place hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. The global events were a landmark for the city. But for Vancouver's largest local venue, the best was yet to come. Following the Olympics, the stadium was shut down to undergo the second and final phase of its reconstruction. When that was completed in 2011, the original building was replaced by a revitalized, state-of-the-art facility. That building will be on full display Sunday when it plays host to the 2014 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic (4 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC, RDS). "We have an amazing retractable roof you can actually color to reflect the event you have in the building," said Graham Ramsey, The stadium has about 53,000 seats, the world's largest cable-supported retractable roof and second-largest high-definition video scoreboard, after AT&T Stadium in Dallas. The old BC Place literally and figuratively is a shell of its old self. "The engineers looked at the building and their comment was, 'It's got great bones.' So we had a really strong infrastructure," Ramsay said. "The decision to renovate and revitalize gave another 20 years to this building. More importantly, the cost to rebuild was estimated in excess of $1 billion." The final price tag came in at $514 million, a sizable cost but half the original estimate for a brand-new stadium. And it wasn't long before the building became a hive of activity with concerts, trade shows and home games for the Lions, as well as the Vancouver Whitecaps of Major League Soccer. Between the concerts, sporting events and trade shows, including the BC Home and Garden show, which moved out of BC Place just as the Heritage Classic ice crew was moving in, the building never has hosted hockey. That is until now. That's remarkable considering the rabid local fan support for the Vancouver Canucks, who will host the Ottawa Senators on March 2. But it wasn't long after the BC Place renovation was completed that the building began discussions with the NHL and the Canucks about hosting the Heritage Classic. All that work will culminate in the big game Sunday. And it's expected to be a major milestone in a building that already has made its mark during the past 30 years. "We've hosted baseball, Canadian football, MLS. We've had basketball in here. This is the one sport we haven't had, so to have hockey in here is a dream come true for our guests, our fans and all of us," Ramsay said. "Everyone will look at the building and what we can do with the building. To say that we hosted an NHL regular-season game in this building is outstanding." Heritage Classic Facts Before the Canucks host the Senators at B.C. Place on Sunday (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 3 p.m. ET), take a look at some interesting facts and figures around the game, previous Heritage Classic tilts, and the Vancouver and Ottawa teams that fought for the 1915 Stanley Cup:3 — Games played in the best-of-five Stanley Cup final in 1915.26 — Goals scored in that series by the champion Vancouver Millionaires.8 — Goals scored in that series by the Ottawa Senators.4 — Goals scored by Vancouver's Barney Stanley in the deciding game.0 — Vancouver teams to win the Stanley Cup before that series.0 — Vancouver teams to win the Stanley Cup after that series.4 — Stanley Cup wins by Ottawa after that series.13 — Regular-season NHL games that will have been played outdoors after Sunday's game.46 — Percentage of those games played in 2014.1 — Outdoor games played in a stadium with a retractable roof.20 — Minutes it takes the B.C. Place roof to open or close.57,167 — Attendance at 2003 Heritage Classic in Edmonton.41,022 — Attendance at 2011 Heritage Classic in Calgary.54,500 — Maximum capacity for B.C. Lions home games.-30C — Temperature (with wind chill) during the 2003 Heritage Classic.-21C — Temperature (with wind chill) during the 2011 Heritage Classic.+3C — Temperature expected for 2014 Heritage Classic.1 — Shutouts in Heritage Classic games (Flames' Miikka Kiprusoff in 2011). Entertainment VANCOUVER, B.C. – Eight-time Juno Award and three-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan and 2014 Juno Award nominees Tegan and Sara will headline the musical performances at the 2014 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic™ between the Vancouver Canucks® and Ottawa Senators® at BC Place in Vancouver on March 2 (1 p.m. PT / 4 p.m. ET, CBC, RDS, NBCSN), the National Hockey League announced today. McLachlan will perform the Canadian national anthem, accompanied by choir members from the Sarah McLachlan School of Music, while Tegan and Sara will perform before the game and during the first intermission. Joining McLachlan for the national anthem will be the Canadian Armed Forces Flag Party of the 39 Canadian Brigade Group comprised of members of the British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own). Salute to Canada's 2014 Olympic Gold Medal-Winning National Women's Team, Presented by Molson Canadian – Pre-Game Members of Canada's 2014 Olympic gold medal-winning National Women's Team will be honored before the game as part of a tribute to Canada, presented by Molson Canadian. Among those in attendance will be Team captain Caroline Ouellette and teammates Hayley Wickenheiser, Meghan Agosta-Marciano, Laura Fortino, Rebecca Johnston, Meaghan Mikkelson, Lauriane Rougeau, Natalie Spooner and Shannon Szabados. Prior to their appearance at BC Place, the players will take part in a Q&A on the main stage and an autograph session at the Molson Canadian Hockey House inside the Canadian Tire NHL Spectator Plaza at 11:00 a.m. Tegan and Sara – Pre-Game and First Intermission Performances, Presented by SiriusXM For 13 years, Tegan and Sara (@teganandsara) has seen its career build an avid global following of fans and fellow musicians alike. The Calgary-born identical twin sisters' unique ability to bridge the pop and indie worlds has allowed their music to cross all traditional boundaries of genre, from being covered by The White Stripes to collaborating with superstar DJs such as Tiesto and David Guetta. Tegan and Sara's seventh studio album, "Heartthrob," launched their hit single, "Closer," and was certified gold in Canada. The success of the album and single has garnered the group four 2014 Juno Award nominations, including Pop Album of the Year, Group of the Year, Single of the Year and Songwriter of the Year. Tegan and Sara will join Katy Perry on the North American leg of her 2014 Prismatic World Tour. Odds – Second Intermission Performance Odds (@oddsmusic) were born out of the 1987 Vancouver music scene and made their mark with the Zoo/BMG album "Neopolitan" in 1991. Warren Zevon ended up with a copy and recognized the band as a kindred spirit, taking Odds on the road as his opening act and backing band. Black humourists, Stax fans and power-pop purveyors, Odds released three more critically-acclaimed albums – "Bedbugs," "Good Weird Feeling" and "Nest" – before taking a nine-year hiatus. Their albums had broken through and achieved platinum status in their native Canada, along with six Juno Award nominations, several top 10 hits and a few top 40 hits in the USA and around the world. Songs you may recognize include "It Falls Apart," "Eat My Brain," "Make You Mad," "Heterosexual Man" and "Someone Who's Cool." The band returned in 2008 with "Cheerleader," featuring the single "My Happy Place" (as heard in the outro for the hit Canadian show, "Corner Gas"). Continuing a long-standing relationship with Kids in the Hall, Odds performed the theme music to the CBC/IFC television series "The Kids in the Hall: Death Comes to Town." As long-standing hockey fans, Odds have had the honour of serving as the house band for the Vancouver Canucks during the last several Stanley Cup Playoffs. '94 Canucks Finals Team to Reunite VANCOUVER, B.C. – The members of the 1994 Vancouver Canucks® team that captured the hearts of British Columbians and inspired a generation of fans during their run to the 1994 Stanley Cup® Final will reunite at the 2014 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic™ on March 2 at BC Place in Vancouver. The NHL and Vancouver Canucks will mark the 20th anniversary of the 1994 team’s memorable run and magical Playoff moments during the 1:00 p.m. PT Canucks vs. Ottawa Senators® game. Fans can look forward to seeing some of their favourite players and personnel from that magical spring, including: Greg Adams Dave Babych Jeff Brown Jose Charbonneau Geoff Courtnall Murray Craven Gerald Diduck Tim Hunter Nathan LaFayette Trevor Linden Jyrki Lumme John McIntyre Dana Murzyn Gino Odjick Kirk McLean Cliff Ronning Stan Smyl (Assistant Coach) Pat Quinn (Head Coach/General Manager) Fans in Vancouver should be on the lookout as some members of the 1994 team will make surprise appearances throughout Vancouver in the days leading up to the 2014 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic. Be sure to follow @NHL and @VanCanucks on Twitter and Facebook for hints on where and when they'll turn up. Fans attending the 2014 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic also will have opportunities to meet some of their hockey heroes in the 2014 Canadian Tire NHL Spectator Plaza, the free hockey and entertainment fan festival held at the Plaza of Nations across from BC Place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on game day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broccoli Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 I know one thing...Canucks lose lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heisenberg Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 I dont understand the game like the purpose to playing hockey in a football stadium with poor viewing. BC Place is not special in any way, it's not Soldier Field or Yankee or Dodger Stadium it hosts a crappy CFL team 9 times each year and a soccer team 40 people watch. Ottawa is not a rival, it makes no sense other than to grab $100 from 40,000 Vancouver hockey suckers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toni Zamboni Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 nux win 3-0! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoesRooster Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 This game will be the turning point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zuongo Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 D.sedin - 13 goals / 27a Karlsson - 15 goals / 40a Good sign. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zuongo Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Oh nucks win OT. 2-1 Kesler Garry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck or Die Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 GO CANUCKS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CHOKE ON IT, HATERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zuongo Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 I doubt they will be doing another 'classic' anytime soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoted Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Anyone know when the doors open? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShakyWalton Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Snow is forecast, will the roof be open, If they want to capture the feel of the other outdoor games it should be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WZRD Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Snow is forecast, will the roof be open, If they want to capture the feel of the other outdoor games it should be. Hasn't been determined yet. Supposed to be flurries around puck drop so it'd be pretty cool if they had the roof open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jovocop55 Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 I dont understand the game like the purpose to playing hockey in a football stadium with poor viewing. BC Place is not special in any way, it's not Soldier Field or Yankee or Dodger Stadium it hosts a crappy CFL team 9 times each year and a soccer team 40 people watch. Ottawa is not a rival, it makes no sense other than to grab $100 from 40,000 Vancouver hockey suckers. actually bc place got better view than any of those stadium series.. nhl blew this one by choosing sens as the opponent.. u know the soocer team got 20k fans watchin per game.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silfverberg Snipes Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Burrows Hat Trick. You saw it here first or you didn't see it at all... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Marchand Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 The Canucks and the fanbase need something positive to talk about. Hopefully the game will be good so that will be the point of discussion instead of all the crap that's been hanging over the team lately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyM Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Snow is forecast, will the roof be open, If they want to capture the feel of the other outdoor games it should be. I heard if there's any chance of precipitation the roof will not be open. Which is a bummer sounds like a good chance it'll be closed. 19153 — Games played in the best-of-five Stanley Cup final in 1915.26 — Goals scored in that series by the champion Vancouver Millionaires. Wow, I'd be over the moon in this day and age if we even get 2! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Not sure what to expect out of this one. The last few Canucks games haven't really been all that exciting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRussianRocket. Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Hope this can light a fire and the team starts rolling...or I can be completely off and the same old continues to happens. Either way, will be in the stands and hope to see some memorable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soren5556 Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 As long as its a W ill consider my money being at this thing well spent. 4-2 Canucks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BurrsArrows Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Missing it for my own game, been secretly hoping all week my game gets cancelled Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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