Stanley Cup fever

As a Vancouver-based blogger, it would be extremely remiss of me not to post something about the fact that, starting today, the Vancouver Canucks (the city's beloved NHL ice hockey team) will be playing against the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Finals (a best-of-seven format)!

From Wikipedia: "The Stanley Cup is awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously (chiefly by sportswriters) as Lord Stanley's Mug. The Stanley Cup is surrounded by numerous legends and traditions, the oldest of which is the celebratory drinking of champagne out of the cup by the winning team. Unlike the trophies awarded by the other three major professional sports leagues of North America [the MLB, NBA, and NFL], a new Stanley Cup is not made each year; Cup winners keep it until a new champion is crowned. It is unusual among trophies, in that it has the names of all of the winning players, coaches, management, and club staff engraved on its chalice."

In their 40 years of being an NHL team, the Canucks have never won the Stanley Cup. They made it to the Finals in 1982 and 1994, but didn't win. In 1994, their loss to the New York Rangers resulted in out-of-control rioting in downtown Vancouver. Since the Cup's inception in 1893, it has in fact been won only once by a past Vancouver team... in 1915.

So, as you may be able to imagine, the excitement levels in this hockey-mad city are currently off the charts! The Stanley Cup is the NHL's most prestigious trophy; the Canucks have never won it; this is only the third time they've made it to the Finals in 40 years... and there are painful memories from 18 years ago that need to be laid to rest!! Not to mention that this is a Canada vs USA fight... and you may recall what it was like when the two countries duked it out for the Men's Hockey Gold Medal in the Winter Olympics last year!

Link to an article in The Globe and Mail: Canucks fever outstripping pre-Olympic excitement.

Following are a few articles from Monday's transit newspapers (snapped by the camera on my new phone):

Canucks couture (click here to see fingernail designs!)...


The Mayor of Vancouver vs the Mayor of Boston (link to article)...


And my personal favourite... the extremely smart marketing decision of the Canadian chain restaurant, Boston Pizza, to temporarily change their name to Vancouver Pizza until the Finals are over (link to article)!!


It's going to be a crazy few weeks here!