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Patrick Johnston: A look at Canucks New Year's games past

New Year's Eve has a habit of hosting great games, even for the Canucks

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With the Vancouver Canucks playing on New Year’s Eve in New Jersey, we look back at some notable games played on the final day of years past …

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2009 vs. St. Louis

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The 4-3 overtime win at St. Louis’ Scottrade Center on Dec. 31, 2009, was one that ticked off a few boxes: a fight, some rough stuff, a comeback, an overtime goal

Rick Rypien fought Cam Janssen in the first. There were four further skirmishes, none to the same degree as Rypien’s, but all were about animosity.

And then there was there were the goals. The Blues had built up a 3-0 lead through the game’s first 34 and a half minutes, but a power play goal by Daniel Sedin with just under four minutes to go in the middle frame set the comeback in motion.

The Canucks tallied twice more in the third period, then won in overtime on a Christian Ehrhoff power play goal.


2003 vs. Chicago

The Canucks were the heavy favourites skating into the United Center, home to a Chicago club that had won just nine games all season.

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It was a surprise that the Canucks didn’t just run away with this one, even more so when you realize the Canucks led 3-1 midway through the second period. The Hawks got a late second period goal from Mark Bell, then a power play marker from Tuomo Ruutu with just over eight minutes left in the third tied things up.

The Canucks won it 4-3 on a last-minute overtime power play goal from Todd Bertuzzi.


1995 vs. Philadelphia

The Canucks would host the Flyers on New Year’s Eve at GM Place for four straight years in the late 90s. The home team were thumped twice — 6-2 in 1998, 8-0 in 1997 — and collapsed in the third period in 1996.

The first showdown, though, a 5-5 tie in 1995, was a highlight. The Flyers held a 3-1 lead to start the third period but an early Jyrki Lumme goal pulled the Canucks within one.

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The Flyers then scored twice, looking to put the game out of reach

But that vintage of the Canucks did one thing very, very well. They scored goals.

First, there was a power play goal from Russ Courtnall. Then with less than two minutes to play, Martin Gelinas scored a short-handed goal, set up by Alex Mogilny and Trevor Linden as the Canucks pulled their goalie for the extra attacker.

Mogilny then completed the comeback, scoring his 28th goal of the season — a fantastic first season in Vancouver — with just five seconds to play.


1991 and 1992 vs. Los Angeles

A double-dose here as the Canucks played the KIngs two years in a row.

The 1991 game at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, Calif., saw the Canucks — just a month into the Pavel Bure era — win 5-3. Trailing 2-0 going in the third, a pair of goals 40 seconds apart — at 6:11 and 6:51 — from Trevor Linden and Cliff Ronning tied the game up. A Luc Robitaille goal with 10:46 to play put the Kings back in front.

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But a Bure goal with 5:02 to play tied things up, then a Tom Fergus tally with 1:36 to play put the Canucks in front. (Ryan Walter added an empty-net goal.)

A year later, this time at the Pacific Coliseum, the Canucks win 4-0. This one was a heavyweight tilt in more ways than one. Both clubs were high atop the Smythe Division standings, though Wayne Gretzky fought a back injury all year and only played 45 games.

The game also featured a rough third period, with Linden and future Canuck John McIntyre getting involved just seven seconds in the third, drawing coincidental roughing penalties. The referee whistled for four more minors in the period’s first eight minutes.

Then things got really wild. At 10:06, Jiri Slegr — of all people — got into a fight, dropping the gloves with Marc Fortier. Two minutes later, McIntyre got into it with Greg Adams after throwing an elbow. Gino Odjick then went to the box for slashing.

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A minute after the Odjick slash, Adrien Plavsic found himself jumped by Jim Thomson.


1987 vs. Winnipeg

Less notable for goals, more notable for fights. The 1980s were a mad time in hockey, with fights, fights, fights.

The Canucks won the game at the Coliseum 2-1, but the real story was a combined 296 minutes in penalties.

A line brawl at 13:38 of the first period saw seven players handed game misconducts by referee Paul Stewart: Winnipeg’s Jim Nill, Laurie Boschmann, Steve Rooney and Dave Ellett and Vancouver’s Daryl Stanley, Jim Sandlak and Craig Coxe.

Winnipeg’s Gilles Hamel, Ray Neufeld and Peter Taglianatti along with Vancouver’s Randy Boyd, Tony Tanti, Petri Skriko, Dave Richter and Doug Lidster also got caught up in the melee and received penalties for their roles.

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1983 vs. Boston

The 1983-84 Canucks weren’t up to much, but when the Bruins came to town to close out 1983, they put on quite a show.

The Canucks and Bruins tied 5-5.

The Canucks had played in Calgary a night before and lost 5-1, but they showed no signs of being tired once they were back at home, Tony Tanti opened the scoring with his 27th of the season. He would tally 45 in his first full season in Vancouver. Future Canuck Barry Pederson — yes, he who would later be traded for Cam Neely — tied the game before the opening frame was over.

Bruins star Rick Middleton put the visitors in front 55 seconds into the second period, but Tanti tied it back up just under three minutes later.

Darcy Rota put the Canucks back in front 6:19 into the second, before the Bruins’ Nevin Markwart and Middleton again struck in the middle of the period to put the Bruins back in front.

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The Canucks took the lead back when they got goals from Andreas Schliebener  — his first of two NHL goals — at 8:06 of the third and then Gary Lupul 40 seconds later. But Craig MacTavish scored just over four minutes later to set the final score.


1981 vs. Edmonton

The first New Year’s Eve game in Canucks history. The 1981-82′ squad would of course find themselves facing down the mighty New York Islanders at the close of the season for the Stanley Cup, but along the way was an entertaining 3-1 win over a budding powerhouse in the Oilers for the Canucks at the Pacific Coliseum.

The Oilers were strong favourites for this one. They arrived with 25 wins under their belt, 11 more than the Canucks.

Stan Smyl opened scoring for the Canucks 1:49 in to the game, set up by Thomas Gradin. Gradin then scored at 8:05 to spot the Canucks a 2-0 lead.

Darcy Rota then got the Canucks’ third goal midway through the second. Glenn Anderson spoiled Richard Brodeur’s shutout attempt in the third. He made 25 saves on the night.

But as they say, this is why you play the game.

pjohnston@postmedia.com

twitter.com/risingaction


NEXT GAME

Monday

Vancouver Canucks vs. New Jersey Devils

10 a.m., Prudential Center, SNP, SN 650 AM


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