The Vancouver Canucks aren't just the city's team, they're the top NHL team for most people in this province, from Sooke to Stewart to Sparwood.
If you're looking for a break down of the game, Daniel Wagner has you covered here. And much more here. What follows is the experience on the fan side of the glass. That human energy gets bumped up at the gate; a marching band walked by us at one point followed by giant, surreal paper mache-style versions of Smyl, Markus Naslund, and Pavel Bure.
Hughes and Petterson's names dominate people's backs with Miller, Boeser and Demko all showing up lots. Classic names from the last 20 years are on jerseys, including Naslund, Bertuzzi and Luongo. A few rarities are in the crowd, too, like Williams, Snepts, and at least two Rypiens. But with each play, there's cheers and energy from the crowd. As much as the hosts and cheering squads and Jumbotron try and ramp everyone up, it's the play on the ice that really gets people going.
The height of the Game 1 hype came over a few minutes in the third. Down 2-1 but playing well, the fans were as energized as ever when Hughes's shot was tipped in by Pius Suter. And there was a release, as excitement and nervous energy drove the crowd to be as loud as they had ever been.And before the celebration had settled, Dakota Joshua netted his first.