Really Vancouver? I could have seen that in Toronto.

I'm part of an employee social club program called Club Shred.  They offer tons of different discounts around town and one of the best is the $50 tickets to Vancouver Canucks games.  That includes transportation down there and back so it's a great deal.  When I looked at the schedule of games they offer the deal for, the Canucks vs. Blackhawks game immediately caught my attention.  For the past two years Chicago has kicked Vancouver out of the playoffs so it's a pretty big rivalry.  The Blackhawks are the defending Stanley Cup champs and both teams are up there with the best in the league.  So I'm thinking this is going to be a hard-fought, evenly matched, well played game.  So me and Dave grabbed tickets.

I was excited to see the Canucks play.  After the Leafs, they're my favourite Canadian team.  I was expecting some Sedin twin magic, amazing saves from Luongo, and an overall impressive performance from a potential Stanley Cup contender.  Unfortunately I was wrong on all counts.  The first period was disappointing as both teams were sloppy and did not play well.  I might as well have been watching the Leafs play... well, the Leafs.  I had hope going into the second that both teams would hit their stride.  I was half right.  Chicago picked up their play and scored 4 unanswered goals.  Toews started it all off with a goal assisted by Kane and Hossa (what a scary line that is) and it all went downhill from there.  It was 4-0 by the end of the second.  Luongo had been pulled.  Half of the fans were leaving.  Very disappointing.  But, having previously been to hockey games where crazier things had happened - I was still hanging on to hope for a comeback in the third.  No such luck though.  This is what happened:

At this point, the guys beside us who we had been chatting with throughout the game said that they were going down to get better seats for the end of the game since everyone was leaving.  We decided to do the same.  Just as we were entering the lower bowl to grab seats - the Canucks scored their first and only goal of the game.  I literally walked in the second that the lamp was lit. Dave unfortunately was not so lucky.  On top of that, the jumbo tron malfunctioned so we didn't get to see the replay.  You would think they would have wanted to play it seven times over to make up for the goals scored against them.

me (in my "authentic" $25 Canucks jersey I purchased from a "trustworthy" gentleman in China) and Dave in our original seats.

our seats after the switch.

Even though the Canucks played terrible - I still got to see the green men mocking the Blackhawks when they took penalties.

And have a delicious double double burger from Triple O's.

This is pure happiness on a bun.

And see Ryan Kesler.

Ryan Kesler: almost as yummy as the burger.

Here's hoping the next game we attend goes down a bit (read: completely) different.

Nat