VANCOUVER — The opening of the Vancouver Canucks season was defined by chaos. There was speed. There was mystifying disappointment.
There was elation and relief. And ultimately there was Calgary Flames forward Connor Zary weaving at will through Canucks defenders and past Artūrs Šilovs to win the game in overtime. Advertisement It was a memorable if disappointing night to kick off a year that the club enters with elevated expectations and a level of ambition unseen in these parts in over a decade.
So fittingly, it was a thoroughly weird contest. Flames star Jonathan Huberdeau stole Conor Garland ’s stick on a line change, its return facilitated by Sportsnet colour broadcaster Ray Ferraro. Tyler Myers lost the steel from his skate and struggled slowly up ice out of his own zone.
An on-ice official stepped in and attempted to help Myers, pushing him toward the Canucks bench, but fell comically in the effort. That was, in every respect, one of the weirdest NHL games I’ve ever witnessed. Credit to the Flames, they settled down after looking completely overmatched and coming unglued in the first.
Impressively executed their gameplan. #Canucks looked brilliant for 20, woeful for 40. — Thomas Drance (@ThomasDrance) October 10, 2024 J.
T. Miller collided with Kevin Rooney near the end boards, landing a clean hit with a vicious outcome that left Rooney prone on the ice for several minutes. A stretcher was wheeled onto the ice during the stoppage but was waved off by the Fla.