'Nucks IceMan

Written by: Larry “The Nucks IceMan” Johnson

Here it is Monday already, the game was played on Saturday, and the Canucks pulled off another squeaker and lead two games to zero. The coverage of the game has been filled ad nausea by the media; Alex Burrows goal played every five minutes on the local television stations, now what’s left for me. Oh yeah, what I witnessed downtown.

After walking uptown or is it downtown, since I walk up the elevation from the water, after the previous game and witnessing the celebration and feeling the buzz, I thought I would go feel the difference being part of the crowd from the beginning.

After waiting in line about a half an hour to get into the CBC Plaza, where there were hundreds of fans, painted, decked out, waving flags, carrying Stanley Cup replica’s, flying the Canucks colours, you name it they had it. Hours before the game even started the crowd was pumped, besides having jockeyed for position to secure their little plot of pavement, where they would watch the game on the two outdoor screens.

There was fencing around the entrance to attempt to hold back the masses, along with security which patrolled the area and also to monitor the number of people they let in at a time. Only a hand few were let in at any given time to keep a stampede from happening.

We got in with another person and scrambled to find a spot amongst the throngs looking for the best viewing spot, which happened to be behind a small tree. Remember, a large amount of the people was sitting on Hamilton Street, as it had been closed to traffic from Georgia to Dunsmuir.

With the hundreds of fans that had gathered to try and gain entrance into the CBC Plaza and not being able to, because the Fire Marshall had deemed it was full, they decided to watch from outside the fencing. Problem was, some of the fans lifted the fencing at a strategic spot and what seemed like hundreds flooded in before the security could stop the rush.

I thought it was full already, well, the little space that you had suddenly shrunk to the spot you were sitting or standing, and the view blocked by the standees.

As it was, people moved around till they found a spot and now the game was about to begin. Everyone and I mean everyone stood and belted out O’Canada which reverberated through the buildings surrounding the Plaza and a loud cheer erupted when the singing of our national anthem finished.

Very similar to what took place during the Olympics.

The crowd riveted to the screens cheered when Manny Malhotra’s faced appeared on the screen and the chant Man-ny, Man-ny started up. When Alex Burrows scored his first goal the Plaza went crazy, along with the fans watching outside the fence.

Second period saw the Bruins score two goals to take the lead 2-1 and it was so quiet, you would have wondered if there was anyone there at all. But it didn’t take long before the Go-Canucks-Go started up and the fans felt positive that the Canucks would come back in the third period.

Daniel Sedin scored to tie the game and it was celebration time again as the tension lifted from the anticipation of waiting and wondering.

As everyone knows by now, it only took 11 seconds of over-time for Alex Burrows to score the winner and there wasn’t a fan in the crowd that wasn’t bouncing, jumping, waving, screaming, hugging or celebrating in some fashion as the crowd in and outside the Plaza erupted in one long crescendo of noise. The electricity in the crowd could have powered a generator.

People stayed and celebrated for a few minutes before they took to the streets and it was like an army marching up Georgia towards Granville Street, high-fiveing, waving flags, and singing and totally pumped.

It was estimated that there was 70,000 people downtown that flowed out of the bars, Rogers Arena, CBC Plaza, and they seemed to all end up on Granville and Robson Street. I thought it was packed the game before on the streets but this was gridlock, you couldn’t move!

As we inched our way down Granville Street towards Robson it just got downright claustrophobic. I mentioned in my previous article that the crowds were reminiscent of the Olympic type.

Now that may be true about the numbers, but this was not your family gatherings like we seen during the Olympics. This was a young crowd of which a number were visibly intoxicated.

The police were visible but did not have the numbers they did the game before, so yes ,there was open drinking and celebrating, but the police did a good job of trying to keep the celebration under control.

I would suggest that you not bring your family downtown for any future celebration, as it’s a spark waiting to ignite. With the masses that were down there, the number of intoxicated, it’s only going to take someone barging through the crowd – and there was plenty when we were locked body to body, knocking someone down to pi_ _ them off, and an altercation will take place.

That’s all it will need to touch off a zoo out of control atmosphere.

A lot people headed to the side streets to get off of Granville and to find some open spaces –  with us joining them. The celebration carried on until well after 3:00 AM downtown.

I sure hope there is no repeat of the riot that happened in 1994 because there sure is the making of one. I can’t image what it would be like if the Canucks win the Cup in the downtown core this week.

As for the game tonight, I expect the Bruins to win this one with the Canucks winning the fourth game on Wednesday and to finish it off on Friday in Vancouver. I sure hope so, because the Friday game is the one we have tickets to.

This would make my 40 years!!

Footnotes: Christian Ehrhoff continues to struggle on defense and was on for both Boston goals. Not sure why the Canucks keep putting him out there to kill penalties, as he leads the defense in giveaways and in +/-, with a minus seven.

Surely Keith Ballard’s play at minus 2 is better than Ehrhoff’s. Even Chris Tanev playing the right side in place of Ehrhoff would be an upgrade.

Dan Hamhuis flew to Boston and didn’t seem to be limping as he walked through YVR, so maybe it’s his low back that he hurt. He’s not expected to play.

Without Malhota going 86% in face-offs the Canucks would have been pretty bad overall. Ryan Kesler was 47%, Henrik Sedin – 31% and Maxim Lapierre 33%.

Boston’s team total was 56.6%, while the Canucks was 49.2%. With the Bruins having last change, puck possession will favour Boston along with most of the play.

Not sure if Ryan Kesler is playing hurt because he just doesn’t look like he has the same speed through the neutral zone. He has shut down Bruins David Krejci though, who only has an assist so far.

Photo Credits – AP, Getty Images, Google Images and Yahoo Sports!

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Filed under: Vancouver Canucks