Canucks for the Cure

Is it just me or are the NHL playoffs more hyped than ever this year? It's proof that people are feeling withdrawl from the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games. I think people are turning to the Canucks to cure their Olympic hangover. Or maybe Hendrick Sedin's "Art Ross" trophy has got people pumped? Even people who are not normally hockey fans, or don't know a thing about the sport are watching the playoffs. Just like during the Games, I love how you can talk to anyone about the hockey game, and no matter who they are, they were watching the game. I love the feeling of unity that hockey brings to our city, and now hopefully when you go downtown it will be a sea of blue, just like the sea of red. When driving down the streets you see Canucks car flags galore, maybe not quite the same as the giant Canada flags on every single house, but none the less. The Olympic Games brought our country together, and now the Canucks are bringing the city together again. No matter who you may be talking to, you will always have one thing in common- Canucks Hockey. Let's hope the boys are as successful as our country was during the Games, and lets bring Roberto home some more shiny hardware! Maybe if he plays better than he did in that game 3. And what about that "kicking motion"? News to me.

Anyways, men get ready to grow that facial hair, because Canucks for the Cup 2010!

Canada Hockey Place- GM Place

There was no sea of red tonight and no "GO CANADA GO" inside of that arena. Now it is GM Place, but Canada Hockey Place used to be the name. It is amazing how the atmosphere can change so much while still watching the same sport in the same arena. I think the hugest difference is that we're no longer watching international hockey, and the patriotism has faded. I noticed there are far less children watching and far less foreigners. You would not believe how sad I was to see that Whale at centre ice rather than the Inukshuk, or the stairs being grey rather than that green and blue pattern. Now, walking downtown afterwards is a whole other story, I feel like I'm in a ghost town, but lets not get started on that. As weird as it may sound, I miss people asking for directions to the seabus or the skytrain, and I miss looking down any given street and seeing hundreds of flags flying above the crowds.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Vancouver Canucks, and they played an amazing game tonight. But I will definitely miss Olympic hockey, the excitement and atmosphere inside that ice rink- whatever you want to name it. From now on, in my heart it will always be "Canada Hockey Place".