kanga

I've been through a quad overtime (canuck fan) when the Canucks played the Stars in the playoffs two years ago. Game started at 7pm and finished just after midnight! (3am for you in the east) Then I wake up at 6am to get ready for work, the game was the main topic of discussion at work!

Money plays a part. They had plans to expand the ice sheet at GM Place when they first bidded for the Olympics. The were no plans to build a new venue in the first place. VANOC asked for permission to leave the ice the way it is now and the IOC said yes. The larger ice sheet would have taken away seats therefore less profits. There will be hockey at the Pacific Coliseum (Canucks' old digs) as well. GM Place and the Pacific Coliseum are likely to have all refurbishments done before next season. I think NHL players will enjoy Vancouver as it is in North America and they will have already been familiar with the city from their past road trips.

I came home and caught the last 2-3 minutes of the game and they were showing the replay of what McLennan did. My jaw literally dropped. I just want to say that I'm not surprised at all from sort of thing that the Flames did today. When they were playing the Canucks in 2004 quarterfinals that went to 7 games, each time the Canucks won a game. The Flames would goon it up usually in the last 5-10 minutes when it became apparent that they would lose. One time at the end of a game, the Canucks would do the customary getting off the bench onto the ice and congratulate their goalie. Instead, the Flames tried pushing, shoving, and giving facewashes ruining the Canucks' customary celebration. I never liked the Flames since then and rooted for Tampa Bay to beat them for the Cup.

The two cities are just over 200km apart, for your information. Washington has 4 junior teams in Everett Silvertips, Tri-City Americans, Spokane Chiefs, and Seattle Thunderbirds, they already have a rivalry with the Vancouver Giants. Washington residents can either be Canuck fans or fans of some other team, when some other team comes to Vancouver, those fans will make the trip across the border to see that team. BC residents does the same thing going to Seattle to watch NFL, NBA, and baseball. It works both ways. Would it be a good thing to have 2 teams 200km apart? I think it would be great, no travelling outside a time zone. West Coast teams don't have it easy those days.