SportsHockeyCanucks

Canucks get booed by their own fans, jerseys tossed on ice (VIDEOS)

Rob Williams
Rob Williams
|
Oct 23 2022, 6:03 am
Canucks get booed by their own fans, jerseys tossed on ice (VIDEOS)
Sportsnet

Is this rock bottom? It feels like rock bottom.

It better be.

The Vancouver Canucks got booed, in their home opener, by their own fans, for much of the third period of a 5-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres Saturday night at Rogers Arena.

The booing began midway through the third period, with the score 3-1. The game should still be within reach with that score, yet the Canucks showed no signs that they had it in them to come back.

The booing continued, even through what is usually the third-period singalong of Sweet Caroline.

And when the Sabres scored into an empty net to ice the game with 3:29 left, a Canucks jersey was tossed onto the ice in protest. It wasn’t the only jersey that was flung over the glass tonight either.

It was truly a remarkable scene for a team’s home opener — usually an energetic night reserved for optimism. But the Canucks are now winless in their first six games of the season — self destructing in remarkable speed.

“We need to be mad about this, understand that that’s not nearly good enough, and come to work tomorrow,” J.T. Miller said after the game.

Elias Pettersson understood the reaction from fans.

“I mean, I get it,” Pettersson said. “They’re passionate fans, that’s how it should be. Of course as players we hate to see it.”

Head coach Bruce Boudreau, meanwhile, was at a loss to explain his team’s effort.

“I don’t get how a team that hasn’t won a game, and you have a really good second period, and aren’t excited about coming out in the third and doing the same thing as you did in the second, and just look like there was very little effort.

“I’m seeing it, you’re seeing it.”

On the reaction from fans, Boudreau had this to say.

“I hope the players feel the same way I feel about it. It’s just totally embarrassing,” said Boudreau. “It’s something you never want to see. I’ve seen it happen in other arenas and never thought it would happen here or on a team that I’m coaching. But if I was the fans, I would have been frustrated too because they’re watching what we’re watching.”

Rob WilliamsRob Williams
+ Offside
+ Hockey
+ Canucks

SUBSCRIBE TO THE HIVE

Get the latest news sent to your inbox and stay in the loop