Vancouver Canucks mark home opener amid relaxed COVID-19 rules
B.C.’s relaxed rules on COVID-19 capacity limits will be tested Tuesday, as the Vancouver Canucks mark their home opener against the Minnesota Wild.
It’s the first time the club has been able to play a regular season game in front of a home crowd in nearly 600 days.
“It's been so long. It's gonna be a lot of energy in our building and it’s exciting. You could use a lot of words, but it's going to be a great night,” said Travis Green, head coach.
The province moved into phase two of its vaccine passport program on Sunday, requiring people to be fully vaccinated before entering many non-essential venues and businesses.
As a result, the provincial health officer lifted pandemic related capacity limits on most seated venues.
The team hasn’t played in front of a packed crowd at Rogers Arena since March 10, 2020.
That’s when the Canucks snatched a 5-4 shootout win over New York Islanders.
There were 18,871 fans in attendance that night.
“It's crazy to think that we haven't seen our fans in that long. So I know everyone's really excited about it, we've been talking about it. We were getting a little itchy on the road there to get home and play some home games here,” said goalie Thatcher Demko.
Much has changed over the past 19 months
Attendees are now required to show their vaccine passports and wear a mask.
The pre-game party in the plaza begins at 5 p.m. and doors open an hour after that.
“Fans should expect lineups due to proof of vaccine checks and are encouraged to arrive early,” wrote the team on its website.
Tickets were still available as of Tuesday morning, with plenty of seats up for grabs in the lower bowl.
Canucks centre Elias Pettersson says he’s been missing the fans a lot.
“It's like an extra player almost. I mean, last year made me realize that, like, fans play a big, big part of just like, get you going to a game. So the fans, they play a big part,” said Pettersson.
Demko echoed that sentiment.
“The fans are such a massive element to you know, what we do on a nightly basis, whether you're at home or on the road,” said the goalie.
Most NHL teams have already celebrated their first home game, but the Canucks kicked off their campaign with a six-game road swing.
“We've seen like you said three home openers now so it’ll be good to be home and be in front of our own crowd again after so long without having fans,” said Green.
Face masks will be required at all times inside the arena unless you are actively eating or drinking.
The arena will also be going cashless and switching to solely contactless payment for the foreseeable future.
Puck drop is at 7 p.m.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Wildfire that forced evacuation of Fort Nelson, B.C., caused by tree falling on wires, mayor says
The wildfire that prompted the evacuation of more than 3,000 people near Fort Nelson, B.C., was caused by a tree falling on wires, according to the municipality's mayor.
Couple randomly attacked, 1 stabbed, by group of teens in Toronto, police say
A man has been transported to hospital after police say he was stabbed in a random attack carried out by a group of teens in Toronto on Friday night.
Eurovision Song Contest final kicks off after protests, backstage chaos and a contestant's expulsion
The 68th Eurovision Song Contest finally got down to musical business Saturday in the Swedish city of Malmo after days of protests and offstage drama that have tipped the feelgood musical celebration into a chaotic pressure cooker overshadowed by the war in Gaza.
IN PICTURES Northern lights dance across the night sky in southern Ont.
From London, to Grand Bend, Collingwood and Guelph, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with Maple Leafs, dead at 79
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and was a member of Canada's team at the 1972 Summit Series, has died at age 79.
'I am angry': Alberta farmers will continue fight over world class motorsport resort
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
Man arrested after allegedly caught trespassing at Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Toronto police say a man has been taken into custody after he was allegedly caught trespassing at Drake's mansion in Bridle Path Saturday afternoon.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.