Vancouver Canucks hockey fans optimistic despite Game 7 loss

Isaac Phan Nay · CBC News

· Posted: May 21, 2024 11:40 PM EDT | Last Updated: May 22

Despite the Vancouver Canucks’ Game 7 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Monday, the team’s playoff run has inspired hope in fans of the franchise. 

On Monday, the Oilers defeated the Canucks 3-2, clinching a spot in the Western Conference final against the Dallas Stars. Still, some say the Canucks’ performance this year was invigorating. 

“This run sets the bar high for the franchise and also for the city,” said Ronald Kumar, who describes himself as a lifelong Canucks fan. “In the province and the city, I think every fan should be very proud and should be happy to be a Canuck.”

A Vancouver city councillor told CBC’s On The Coast on Tuesday that the season has sparked “a sense of the possible” among hockey fans in the city. 

“It felt, even right towards the end of the game, almost like we could do anything in this city,” Mike Klassen said. “There was just this joy that was coming out of everywhere.”

WATCH | Canucks’ playoff run sows seeds of hope, says broadcaster:

Sports broadcaster Jagraq Lalli breaks down what went wrong for the Vancouver Canucks in their playoff defeat to the Edmonton Oilers, and looks ahead to what the future holds for the team.

The Canucks have advanced to the Stanley Cup final three times. During its most recent shot in 2011, the team lost in seven games to the Boston Bruins.

Since then, the Canucks have not advanced past the second round of the playoffs. Prior to this year’s playoff run, the Canucks last played home playoff games at Rogers Arena in 2015.

Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet said the team has come a long way.

“This team brought respect back to this city and this journey,” Tocchet said.

“Let’s face it — a year-and-a-half ago or so it’s ‘This guy can’t play. This guy’s that.’ And I told them before the game that they put respect back in that jersey. Fans got something to be proud about. So that’s all because of the players.”

Canucks fan Ronalds Ozols said as a second-generation Latvian Canadian, he was proud to see 23-year old Latvian goaltender Arturs Silovs step in for all-star netminder Thatcher Demko, who suffered an injury early in Round 1 against the Nashville Predators.  

“As a typical Canuck fan, you’re going, ‘Oh my God, he’s a third-stringer. What’s he going to do?'” Ozols said. “It was exciting to have him in and build up momentum.”

‘Pure pandemonium’

At Rogers Arena on Monday, the Oilers were leading 3-0 by the end of the second period.

The Canucks rallied in the third. Conor Garland got Vancouver on the board 11:27 into the final stanza and Filip Hronek followed with his first-ever playoff goal less than four minutes later.

Kumar said the energy inside Rogers Arena during the third period was “pure pandemonium.” 

“We were very nervous. We were very on edge,” he said. “Everyone was just standing on their feet. We were cheering as loud as we could and we were hoping for a goal.”

Ozols said the cheering from fans of both teams in the arena was “nuts.”

The Canucks pushed hard for a late equalizer, but fell short.

“I was waving the lucky flag,” he said. “It didn’t work, but it was still tremendously exciting.”

One day after the loss, Kumar said he was “still digesting it, not fully accepting it, but digesting it.”

He says he’s hopeful for next season. He is also hopeful that the Oilers will end Canada’s Stanley Cup drought. A Canadian-based NHL team hasn’t won the Stanley Cup since the Montreal Canadiens in 1993. 

“As much as it hurts to say this, at least there is one Canadian team that’s in the playoffs, and hopefully they can go the distance,” Kumar said.

“But next year, hopefully, it’s our year.”