Greatest Canuck Game of all time

[Darius]

Half way through summer, nice to see the hard core fans still here.  Just want to take a break from analyzing the current team and go down memory lane.  I think ive only started a handful of topics/threads here but after watching highlights of past games I think it would be a fun discussion.

 

What game do you think is the greatest Canuck game of all time?

 

In my opinion - 1994 Game 6 vs the New York Rangers in the Stanley Cup final. Canucks were down 3 games to 1 in the series, and came back to tie the series 3-3 in Game 6.

 

Quick thoughts on why I think its the greatest Canuck game:

 

1. I hated the Rangers.  Their roster included many x-oilers who used to pummel the Canucks in the 80's.  The 1994 Canucks were capable of dishing out punishment and in game 6 they  ramped up the intensity and took it to the Rangers.  As a fan who suffered through the humiliation of the 80s, including the multiple beatings administered by the oilers, I was pumped to see our team take it to a team built around x oilers.  They made the chumps sweat.  They made the chumps worried.  They thought they had the series in the bag and in game 6 the Canucks shoved some of that cockiness down their throats.

 

2. The battle level really picked up throughout the periods. The Canucks showed guts, heart and determination as the game progressed.  Trevor Linden was the epitome of this and really showed his character and leadership in the third period.  He was hacked in the third period by that cheap POS Messier - this led to the legendary Jim Robson Call "He will Play....You know he will play..."

 

3. It was an all out war, not a Picasso of Pettersson/Sedin like wizardry plays.  Watch the action in the corners - cheap shots, elbows, trips, clutching and grabbing.  As a fan living in the moment I can remember sweating and feeling like i was in the battle with the team.

 

4. The game featured my favorite Canuck of all time - Pavel Bure.  Bure could dish it out as well as he took it. He had tremendous speed and skill yet he could operate in the gutter of the clutch and grab 90s where half of those interference/clutch plays would be called today.  I wonder what he would be like in the modern game with the 2 line off side rules, no hooking or hacking, and a guy like Hank or Petey feeding him the puck.

 

Other notes/points of discussion

 

1. Watch how athletic Mclean and Richter are.  They look tiny in the net compared to the 6'5" guys in net today yet somehow they came up with the big plays and cat like saves.  

 

2. I bet a third or more of that Canuck roster couldnt play in the modern NHL.  Big lumbering guys.  Pat Quinn would start off the periods with Antoski and Hunter on the ice. Their only job was to dump it in and punish the D.

 

3. Conversely ....How many current Canucks could be effective in a series like that?

 

4. Being a successful team back then included having greasy clutch scorers like Courtnall , Ronning and Adams aside from the star players like Linden and Bure.  You still need guys like that to win. Who are our modern equivalents? Do we have those guys yet?

 

5. Ive included a link below to Jim Robson's call of the game in the third period.  I must admit when i launched the clip i got a few tears in my eyes.  Hearing Jim and Tommy Larscheid call the third period resulted in an overwhelming barrage of memories and a reminder of how long ive waited to see the team hoist the cup while enduring all the trials and tribulations up till today.  This is why we are all here.  Sometimes we get carried away in the arguments involving stats, spreadsheets, cap calculations...at the end of the day we are all here because of the culture developed during the past 5 decades and our drive to watch this team win the big trophy.  I hope to see them come through just once in my life time.

 

Now for the clips.  First the condensed game, then the Jim Robson call.  You younger fans should take a few minutes to hear Jim and Tommy if you havent heard them.

 

 

Quote

 

 

[EB43]

Burrows slaying the Blackhawks will always be the standout for me.

 

Edited August 1, 2019 by EliasBoeser

[canuck73_3]

1. Game 6 vs New York

 

2. Game 7 vs Chicago Burr slaying the dragon

 

3. Game 5 vs Toronto because eliminating Toronto is awesome. 

[luckylager]

Darius, you're a beauty. Fantastic post and summertime thread idea.

 

2011, R1, G7 vs Hawks is my fave. The rivalry was real, Cawks had come back from a three game deficit and that game did not disappoint. 

Dragon Slayer. 

 

Never in my life have I been as ridiculously overwhelmed by a goal. I just screamed one long "HOLY&^@#INGAHHHHHHBLAHAHGAHBHA" until I ran out of breath

and took a knee

drooling

with a tear on my cheek

[6string]

7 minutes ago, canuck73_3 said:

1. Game 6 vs New York

 

2. Game 7 vs Chicago Burr slaying the dragon

 

3. Game 5 vs Toronto because eliminating Toronto is awesome. 

THIS above!

[Darius]

3 minutes ago, luckylager said:

Darius, you're a beauty. Fantastic post and summertime thread idea.

 

2011, R1, G7 vs Hawks is my fave. The rivalry was real, Cawks had come back from a three game deficit and that game did not disappoint. 

Dragon Slayer. 

 

Never in my life have I been as ridiculously overwhelmed by a goal. I just screamed one long "HOLY&^@#INGAHHHHHHBLAHAHGAHBHA" until I ran out of breath

and took a knee

drooling

with a tear on my cheek

Thanks Lucky!

 

For me it goes like this

 

1. Game 6 vs rangers 1994

2. Game 5 vs leafs 1994 

3. Game 7 vs Chicago 2011

4. Game 5 vs Boston 2011

5. Game 7 vs flames 1994

 

first three are really close.  I concede that I could be biased because  the first two were in my 20’s and I’ve glorified those memories. 

 

honourable mentions:

1989 game 7 vs Calgary.  A fabulously entertaining game.  Canucks could have easily won.. but the bastrd flames kicked it in ot.

  

The Chicago series in 1982. I really got hooked on hockey then.  It’s so long ago I can’t distinguish between the games right now.

 

The first game vs Boston the season after the 2011 scf was a beauty of a regular season game.  I was shadow boxing on my couch half the game! Lol

[Crabcakes]

1 hour ago, Darius said:

Half way through summer, nice to see the hard core fans still here.  Just want to take a break from analyzing the current team and go down memory lane.  I think ive only started a handful of topics/threads here but after watching highlights of past games I think it would be a fun discussion.

 

What game do you think is the greatest Canuck game of all time?

 

In my opinion - 1994 Game 6 vs the New York Rangers in the Stanley Cup final. Canucks were down 3 games to 1 in the series, and came back to tie the series 3-3 in Game 6.

 

Quick thoughts on why I think its the greatest Canuck game:

 

1. I hated the Rangers.  Their roster included many x-oilers who used to pummel the Canucks in the 80's.  The 1994 Canucks were capable of dishing out punishment and in game 6 they  ramped up the intensity and took it to the Rangers.  As a fan who suffered through the humiliation of the 80s, including the multiple beatings administered by the oilers, I was pumped to see our team take it to a team built around x oilers.  They made the chumps sweat.  They made the chumps worried.  They thought they had the series in the bag and in game 6 the Canucks shoved some of that cockiness down their throats.

 

2. The battle level really picked up throughout the periods. The Canucks showed guts, heart and determination as the game progressed.  Trevor Linden was the epitome of this and really showed his character and leadership in the third period.  He was hacked in the third period by that cheap POS Messier - this led to the legendary Jim Robson Call "He will Play....You know he will play..."

 

3. It was an all out war, not a Picasso of Pettersson/Sedin like wizardry plays.  Watch the action in the corners - cheap shots, elbows, trips, clutching and grabbing.  As a fan living in the moment I can remember sweating and feeling like i was in the battle with the team.

 

4. The game featured my favorite Canuck of all time - Pavel Bure.  Bure could dish it out as well as he took it. He had tremendous speed and skill yet he could operate in the gutter of the clutch and grab 90s where half of those interference/clutch plays would be called today.  I wonder what he would be like in the modern game with the 2 line off side rules, no hooking or hacking, and a guy like Hank or Petey feeding him the puck.

 

Other notes/points of discussion

 

1. Watch how athletic Mclean and Richter are.  They look tiny in the net compared to the 6'5" guys in net today yet somehow they came up with the big plays and cat like saves.  

 

2. I bet a third or more of that Canuck roster couldnt play in the modern NHL.  Big lumbering guys.  Pat Quinn would start off the periods with Antoski and Hunter on the ice. Their only job was to dump it in and punish the D.

 

3. Conversely ....How many current Canucks could be effective in a series like that?

 

4. Being a successful team back then included having greasy clutch scorers like Courtnall , Ronning and Adams aside from the star players like Linden and Bure.  You still need guys like that to win. Who are our modern equivalents? Do we have those guys yet?

 

5. Ive included a link below to Jim Robson's call of the game in the third period.  I must admit when i launched the clip i got a few tears in my eyes.  Hearing Jim and Tommy Larscheid call the third period resulted in an overwhelming barrage of memories and a reminder of how long ive waited to see the team hoist the cup while enduring all the trials and tribulations up till today.  This is why we are all here.  Sometimes we get carried away in the arguments involving stats, spreadsheets, cap calculations...at the end of the day we are all here because of the culture developed during the past 5 decades and our drive to watch this team win the big trophy.  I hope to see them come through just once in my life time.

 

Now for the clips.  First the condensed game, then the Jim Robson call.  You younger fans should take a few minutes to hear Jim and Tommy if you havent heard them.

 

 

 

It's kinda fun having a tough team.

 

This day was probably the best day of my life.  Loved it.

[Crabcakes]

42 minutes ago, luckylager said:

Darius, you're a beauty. Fantastic post and summertime thread idea.

 

2011, R1, G7 vs Hawks is my fave. The rivalry was real, Cawks had come back from a three game deficit and that game did not disappoint. 

Dragon Slayer. 

 

Never in my life have I been as ridiculously overwhelmed by a goal. I just screamed one long "HOLY&^@#INGAHHHHHHBLAHAHGAHBHA" until I ran out of breath

and took a knee

drooling

with a tear on my cheek

And a Lucky in your had you old reprobate 

[48MPHSlapShot]

I think it might be cool to discuss what the best regular season game of all time is as well. Obviously we're going to get the usual playoff suspects when discussing the best Canuck game ever (game 6 against the Rangers, game 7 against the Hawks, etc etc etc...)

[Darius]

2 minutes ago, 48MPHSlapShot said:

I think it might be cool to discuss what the best regular season game of all time is as well. Obviously we're going to get the usual playoff suspects when discussing the best Canuck game ever (game 6 against the Rangers, game 7 against the Hawks, etc etc etc...)

Good point. There’s been a lot of really great regular season games. 

 

Just to start...

 

Besides that first game vs Boston the year after the scf there was a game vs Detroit that stands out in my mind.  I believe it was during the WCE era and the Canucks beat Detroit on the road while Detroit was still a powerhouse. It was like a statement game that showed they were legit and could hang with the big boys. 

 

Anybody remember the year?

 

[Nave]

Burrows slaying the dragon.

[Ferlands_Head]

6 minutes ago, Darius said:

Good point. There’s been a lot of really great regular season games. 

 

Just to start...

 

Besides that first game vs Boston the year after the scf there was a game vs Detroit that stands out in my mind.  I believe it was during the WCE era and the Canucks beat Detroit on the road while Detroit was still a powerhouse. It was like a statement game that showed they were legit and could hang with the big boys. 

 

Anybody remember the year?

 

The 2002 Playoffs where we took the first 2 games in Detroit? Edit NVM just saw that you meant regular season game 

Edited August 1, 2019 by Ferlands_Head
i made an error

[BrockBoester]

1 hour ago, EliasBoeser said:

Burrows slaying the Blackhawks will always be the standout for me.

 

Came to say this but also the whole 94 Rangers series was so intense as well, and even the 2011 cup run. Basically all the greats are in the playoffs. Let there be more to come next spring :D

[singing chef]

 

February 16, 1971 at Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, B.C.    Canucks first year in NHL.  A loaded Boston team with stars Phil Esposito, Bobby Orr, Johnny Bucyk, Ken Hodge, Wayne Cashman, "Pie" McKenzie, Fred Stanfield, Derek Sanderson, Ed Westfall, "Terrible Ted" Green, Reggie Leach, Gerry Cheevers.  

 

Tied 4-4 with under a minute to go, Rosaire Paiement scores at 19.13 of 3rd. period to record his hat-trick and also his 20th. of the season.  Crowd goes ballistic as the new kids on the block defeat the reigning Stanley Cup champs 5-4.  

 

I was there.  It was great.  They still are.  Fan since 1968 (when they were in the WHL).

[luckylager]

43 minutes ago, Crabcakes said:

And a Lucky in your had you old reprobate 

Believe it or not

I was so excited I left it on the table

 

For real

[Crabcakes]

9 minutes ago, luckylager said:

Believe it or not

I was so excited I left it on the table

 

For real

So excited, you forgot about your beer.....hmm....that's unprecedented.....if only you felt the same way about your wife 

Edited August 1, 2019 by Crabcakes

[MoneypuckOverlord]

1 hour ago, luckylager said:

2011, R1, G7 vs Hawks is my fave. The rivalry was real, Cawks had come back from a three game deficit and that game did not disappoint. 

Dragon Slayer. 

they can thank the refs for that.  bull &^@#ing $&!# officiating.

[CaptKirk888]

1 hour ago, Darius said:

Thanks Lucky!

 

For me it goes like this

 

1. Game 6 vs rangers 1994

2. Game 5 vs leafs 1994 

3. Game 7 vs Chicago 2011

4. Game 5 vs Boston 2011

5. Game 7 vs flames 1994

 

first three are really close.  I concede that I could be biased because  the first two were in my 20’s and I’ve glorified those memories. 

 

honourable mentions:

1989 game 7 vs Calgary.  A fabulously entertaining game.  Canucks could have easily won.. but the bastrd flames kicked it in ot.

  Stupid refs and that moron Joel Otto playing up his “goal”

 

The Chicago series in 1982. I really got hooked on hockey then.  It’s so long ago I can’t distinguish between the games right now.

 

The first game vs Boston the season after the 2011 scf was a beauty of a regular season game.  I was shadow boxing on my couch half the game! Lol

Great and similar memories for me also. I was 17 for the 82 cup so like You memories have faded, late 20s for the 94 run and still have vivid memories of throwing the remote at the screen. 

[189lb enforcers?]

What about worst defining moment in the history of the Canucks...?

 

 

“Nobody saw it.”

 

... nobody saw it? 

 

Thats worse than having no response, IMO.

Loser culture, identity and players.

Glad that phase is over. 

 

 

 

 

[CaptKirk888]

1 hour ago, luckylager said:

Darius, you're a beauty. Fantastic post and summertime thread idea.

 

2011, R1, G7 vs Hawks is my fave. The rivalry was real, Cawks had come back from a three game deficit and that game did not disappoint. 

Dragon Slayer. 

 

Never in my life have I been as ridiculously overwhelmed by a goal. I just screamed one long "HOLY&^@#INGAHHHHHHBLAHAHGAHBHA" until I ran out of breath

and took a knee

drooling

with a tear on my cheek

I’m laughing because I have the exact memories