Nonetheless, I did submit a piece to vacay.ca three days ago; the editor wanted to hold off on any stories until the Canucks make the playoffs. So, I will post it here for now and if my schedule permits (and if the Canucks make the playoffs too), I might be able to re-do the story and then re-submit to vacay.ca.
(Note: This was written prior to the Canucks' 4-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on April 4th and before the Minnesota Wild dropped 4-2 and 3-0 decisions on the road to fall out of first place.)
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA — If it’s the month of April in Vancouver,
it means the Canucks are gearing up for a playoff run.
Hey, after all, the Canucks have won the Northwest Division title in
each of the last four seasons, and five of the last six, including claiming the
Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL’s best team in back-to-back campaigns in 2010-11
and 2011-12.
This season is no different, as the Canucks (19-11-6) are currently
tied for top spot in the Northwest with the Minnesota Wild (21-12-2)—though the
Wild do own the tie-breaker by virtue of having two more victories—which shapes
up to be a exciting finish as Vancouver tries to make it five divisional
championships in a row.
And while the Canucks this year aren’t the high-scoring outfit that
they were the last couple of seasons—during their recent six-game winning
streak at the end of March, the Canucks won five one-goal games including a
pair of 1-0 victories and a pair of 3-2 decisions—they have been solid in goal
thanks to the play of Cory Schneider, who has taken over as the main man
between the pipes for Vancouver.
What makes it interesting down the stretch as well is the fact that
division rivals Edmonton and Calgary will each still play the Canucks twice
during the shortened season’s final month, and Vancouver also has home dates
with Western Conference powerhouses Detroit, Chicago, and Anaheim over a six-day stretch in the final week of
the regular-season schedule.
So, it certainly shapes up to be a thrilling finish to the 2012-13
season for the Canucks, and if you are attending a game at Rogers Arena this
month, here are some things to keep in mind:
Tickets for a Canucks Game
Because as they say in Vancouver, “We Are All Canucks,” it is best to
get tickets to a Canucks game as soon as you can before they get sold out.
Tickets can be ordered online at the Canucks’ official website at canucks.com/tickets.
Also, be sure to check out the Canucks’ “Ticket Promotions” page for
special offers such as “Family Nights” and “Student Rush Nights” (for groups of
20 or more).
Directions to Rogers Arena
Public transit is your best bet to get to and from the game in terms of
cost efficiency. Located at 800 Griffiths Way, Rogers Arena is easily
accessible by SkyTrain—you just hop on the train and get off at the
Stadium/Chinatown station—and it only costs $2.75 for a one-way ticket to use
the train if you are commuting from Vancouver.
If you are commuting by SkyTrain from outside of the Vancouver transit
“zone,” it will cost you up to $5.50 (Surrey) to use the train to get to
downtown during rush hour on weekdays, but $2.75 for the return trip as it will
be cheaper after 6:30 p.m. (non-peak hours).
Alternatively, if you prefer to drive, Rogers Arena is also within a
15-minute walk of over 7,000 parking spots, including the arena’s underground
parkade, which is accessible off of Griffiths Way on the west side of the building.
Food Choices
If you would like to grab a bite before the game, Wiser’s Centre Ice
Grill located on Level 4 inside Rogers Arena is a good place to go. “The Grill,”
Vancouver’s only live sports dining restaurant, is open for dining two hours
before game time, and fans can catch the action on the ice during the game. Well,
“The Grill” is also open until an hour after the game ends, so if you’re hungry
at the end of the night you are not out of luck.
But of course, during the game you can also check out the concession
stands at Rogers Arena, with all of the traditional arena food such as burgers
and fries, popcorn, nachos, pizza, and hot dogs. If you would like to try
something different, though, don’t worry, as there are other options such as
fresh carved deli sandwiches, veggie burgers, Teriyaki rice bowls, hand-made
quesadillas, and much, much more!
Just one note, though,… the concession stands don’t take debit cards,
so make sure you have cash or a credit card on you!
Pray for No Shootout
As a friend of mine—who is a die-hard Canucks fan—keeps telling me,
“The Canucks suck at the shoot-out,” well, just pray for a regulation victory
if you are a fan of the home team. Apparently if the Canucks do need to settle
matters via the skills competition round in the event the score remains tied
after three periods and the sudden-death overtime session, watch out because
that is their Achilles’ heel!
All kidding aside, if the Canucks do need the shootout to decide a game,
they can count on Schneider to make the key saves, and for star players such as
Ryan Kessler, Alex Burrows, and the Sedin twins to try and get them the “W” and
the second point. And hey, it would be a bonus for a fan if the contest goes to
a shootout… win or lose, what an exciting way to end the game!
Other Information on the Canucks
Address of Rogers Arena: 800 Griffiths Way, Vancouver, British Columbia
Official Team Website: canucks.nhl.com
Facebook: facebook.com/canucks
Twitter: @VanCanucks
Official Mascot of the Canucks: FIN
FIN’s Facebook Name: FIN Orca
FIN’s Twitter Name: @CanucksFIN
