We were supposed to be studying for exams. We ended up at a Vancouver Canucks game instead.
It was a classic case of procrastination. But hey, we couldn't really be blamed. Watching the Canucks and taking in all the atmosphere of the Pacific Coliseum sounded a lot more appealing than cramming our heads full of dry and mostly useless course material.
At the time, my girlfriend Jana and I were students at Simon Fraser University. Our night started with a decision to put off the school work and go out for dinner. We opted for Boston Pizza. Nothing like baked tortellini on a chilly and damp fall evening.
Anyhow, while we were waiting for our food to arrive, we couldn't help but notice that all the TV screens in the place were tuned to a preview show on the Canucks/Chicago Blackhawks game.
Should we? Shouldn't we?
As soon as we finished eating, we did. We hopped in Jana's car, drove 15 minutes to the Coliseum and found a scalper who had decent seats for sale. At the time (1990), tickets were cheap and plentiful. We sat down just in time for the opening face-off and felt very much like we were getting away with something because none of our roommates/friends back at the house had any idea where we were. After the game, we got back home in time to catch the highlights on Sports Page. When we revealed to everyone where we had been, they didn't know whether to believe us or not.
During the university years, Jana (my wife since 1997) and I saw quite a few Canucks games together. The one we witnessed that night - on Nov. 21, 1990 - was beloved tough guy Gino Odjick's first in the NHL. The Canucks beat Chicago 4-1 but Odjick stole the show when he got into spirited scraps with Dave Manson and Stu Grimson.
Jana and I also took her parents to see the Canucks play the Washington Capitals and once got to meet Ray Ferraro after Vancouver had hosted the Hartford Whalers. Ferraro - now with TSN and one of the best analysts in the game - was a relative of one of Jana's residence mates at SFU.
I also went to lots of other games with various friends. One was with buddies Troy and Don. Together, along with Don's dad Gordon - the biggest Guy Lafleur fan I know - we saw Lafleur skate on Pacific Coliseum ice while he was winding down his career with the Quebec Nordiques.
Today at CN Centre, the Canucks start the Prince George portion of their 2015 training camp. And even though I'm an Edmonton Oilers fan at heart (cut me some slack, I was a 14-year-old in Northlands Coliseum the night they won their first Stanley Cup and I caught a hat off the stick of some guy named Wayne Gretzky) I am very much a supporter of the Canucks. Try growing up in this province and not having a soft spot for them. For that, much credit goes to the organization itself.
The Canucks have always done a good job of realizing they don't just belong to Vancouver. They are fully aware they're B.C.'s team and that's why they're here this weekend. They have come to connect with their northern fans, to say thank you for past and present support and to build relationships that will serve them well in the future. After taking their camp around the province for years, they are in P.G. for the first time and we welcome them with open arms.
Some of the most dedicated Canucks fans in B.C. reside right here in Prince George. All of the team's games are shown on big screens across town, whether in local pubs or local living rooms. And come playoff time, Canucks flags and jerseys are always on proud display.
Growing up here, I have fond memories of watching the Canucks on BCTV telecasts, with the legendary Jim Robson describing the action. The team and the players of those days - guys like Stan Smyl, Thomas Gradin, Tiger Williams and Richard Brodeur - got into my blood. These same players were on the ice when I watched my first live NHL game, Canucks versus Toronto Maple Leafs. Sitting beside my dad at the Pacific Coliseum, I was in awe with what was taking place in front of me. My hockey heroes were real people. Who ever would have guessed?
Over the next few days, a lot of Prince George kids will get that same awestruck feeling. The faces they've only seen on TV before, they'll get to see up close and in person - Henrik and Daniel Sedin, Alex Burrows, Radim Vrbata, Ryan Miller and others. And the experience will stick with them for their entire lives.
Thanks for coming, Canucks. See you at the rink.
