The Vancouver Canucks were missing star goalie Thatcher Demko, defenceman Tyler Myers and most of their offence on Tuesday as the visiting Nashville Predators scored on their first shot and cruised to a 4-1 victory to tie the first-round NHL playoff series at a game apiece.
Big crowds headed to downtown Vancouver, building excitement for Game 2 following the Game 1 win, 4-2, against the Predators on Sunday night.
But anticipation for the game took a bit of a hit earlier Tuesday when the club announced Demko was sidelined with an undisclosed injury.
However, that didn’t stop Canucks fever from spreading to Vancouver City Hall.
A vintage “Black Skate” Canucks jersey-wearing Mayor Ken Sim quipped that he had given the council chambers a “major makeover” in honour of the big game, and shared a photo of the room draped in Canucks flags and white towels.
Despite the mayor’s enthusiasm, there was still no word Tuesday about plans for public viewing parties in the city similar to those being hosted in Edmonton, Winnipeg and Toronto.
The City of Delta hosted the region’s only official outdoor watch party, at Social Heart Plaza.
After Sunday’s win, jubilant fans revived the tradition of celebrating at the intersection of Scott Road and 72 Avenue, and Delta police said they were working with Surrey RCMP to boost patrols in the area Tuesday.
It wouldn’t be a playoff run without a pump-up hockey anthem, and fans and musical artists DJ Heer and ASM have answered the call this year with a track dubbed “Game Night” that’s been getting plenty of play on social media.
“I’ve been a die-hard Canucks fan growing up, I’ve been a DJ for 19 years. I thought I’d bring the two passions together,” DJ Heer told Global News.
“It’s more of a song that pumps up the city and showcases Vancouver in the music video. My favourite part of the song is how we incorporated different players into the lyrics,” added ASM.
Meanwhile, some iconic names from the Canucks’ past surfaced on social media to build hype for Tuesday’s showdown.
Power forward Ryan Kesler, famous for going “beast mode” and carrying the club through the team’s series against Nashville during the 2011 Stanley Cup run, was in town.
He was at Rogers Arena Tuesday morning, where he posed for a quick video with his son, Ryker, who was just months old the last time the Canucks made a cup run.
“What’s up Canucks fans, Ryan Kesler here, back in Vancouver. Excited for Game 2, see you guys there,” he said.
“Go Canucks go!” added Ryker.
Former Canucks goaltender Eddie Lack also posted a video to social media making light of the Demko predicament.
Proclaiming himself “the hero Vancouver needs — maybe,” Lack showed a series of Demko headlines before cutting to a training montage of himself decked out in goalie gear.