"This will hurt for a long time": Garland emotional after Canucks loss
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When the Vancouver Canucks needed a spark in Game 7, it was Conor Garland who delivered.
The 5-foot-8 winger scored a crucial goal that sparked a comeback effort for his team in the do-or-die game against the Edmonton Oilers.
Ultimately it wasn’t enough, and the Canucks lost 3-2 to the Oilers, ending their incredible season.
When asked how long he expects this loss to sit with him, the fiercely competitive Garland answered in no uncertain terms.
“Sh*t, I mean, I’ve lost games in junior that I still stay up at night and think about, so this will hurt for a long time,” responded Garland.
"S**t, I mean, I've lost games in junior that I still stay up at night and think about, so, this will hurt for a long time."
Conor Garland on how the Game 7 loss will impact him. pic.twitter.com/1dr8igunwo
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) May 21, 2024
In a season that started with the winger nearly being traded, Garland became a crucial part of the team. He hit the 20-goal mark for just the second time in his career and was one-half of a great winger duo with Dakota Joshua.
The winger’s turnaround is a microcosm of the team, which went from lottery-bound to playoff contender this year.
“I think we were a bad team for a while, and we made strides this year to become a good team,” said Garland.
The forward was visibly dejected while talking to the media after the Game 7 loss but still managed to see some aspects of the bigger picture.
“It starts from training camp, and we’ve built a good foundation to be a good team for a while now, but this obviously sucks.”
The 28-year-old became a fan-favourite this year and even had his name chanted from the rafters at various points.
“They’re the greatest, they really are,” said Garland about the Rogers Arena fans. “It’s hard almost not to get emotional at the end there because they are the best.”
“It’s too bad we came up short, but we’ll be better for this. They’re the greatest, and this past month has been a blast.”
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