Josh Martin

ith the regular season coming
up in less than a month and the
pre-season schedule starting

within a week, hockey fans, like myself, are
getting ready to cheer for the Canucks all
over again who were oh-so-close to winning
the Stanley Cup just three months ago. A
tremendous regular season that proved the
Canucks were a Stanley Cup favourite from
the get-go lead to the unforgettable and
inspiring Spring of 2011.

Sure they lost the Stanley cup and all
our dreams and hopes were destroyed, but
out of a devastating loss you have to look
at the positives. Look at how much and
what they accomplished in a single season.
They finished first overall in the NHL with a

  

16

record of 54-19-9 and 117 points... That’s a -

whole 10 points ahead of the second placed
overall team, the Washington Capitals, who
had 107 points. Daniel Sedin won the Art
Ross trophy finishing number one overall
in the league in scoring with 104 points,
after his brother Henrik won the title a year
before. Not only that, Ryan Kesler took
home the Selke trophy as the league’s most
outstanding defensive forward... and he still
finished with 41 goals and 73 points, both
career highs. And last but not least, Cory
Schneider and Roberto Luongo took home
the Jennings award, as the top goaltender
tandem in the NHL, allowing the fewest
goals scored against. So much talent and
playoff experience eventually all add up to
success.

One can’t help but remember that
this is a team that finally beat the dreaded
Chicago Blackhawks and “slayed the
dragon” in a dramatic game seven overtime
thriller after two consecutive years of

 

losing to them; a team that showed promise
in absolutely dominating the Nashville
Predators in the second round with Ryan
Kesler fearlessly leading the way; a team
that took out the San Jose Sharks with luck,
a strange bounce and of course a Kevin
Bieksa slap shot to seal the deal. The same
team that had their dreams shattered by the
Boston Bruins in a heart-breaking 3-0 loss
at home in game seven of the Stanley Cup
Finals.

After going so far and coming so close
to grasping hockey’s Holy Grail only to
have it slip away once again... it is safe to
say, that this team-.is hungrier than ever.

Let’s not forget what the Pittsburgh
Penguins pulled in 2009 when they
miraculously came back and won the
Stanley Cup against the Detroit Red Wings
the following year after losing it to them. If
the hockey gods are on our side and history
magically repeats itself, imagine how sweet
a victory that would be to take home the

Here we go again

es

ao

 

at,

 

Cup from the Boston Bruins (who spent
over $150,000 at a club prior to the victory
on drinks) in game seven at their home
arena. Pretty sweet.

So for all you Canucks fans who have
given up cheering for your home team
because they finally made a debut in the
Stanley Cup Finals after 17 years and lost...
we'll probably see you on the bandwagon
come this spring. As for everybody else,
bring out the spirit; here we go again.

Thoughts and prayers go out to the
passengers and crew members that were
aboard the Yak-42 Russian plane that
crashed last week, which included the
KHL’s Lokomotiv Yaroslayl team and
former Canuck, Pavol Demitra.
May they rest in peace.