“That’s what learning is, after all;
not whether we lose the game, but how we lose and how we’ve changed because of it
and what we take away from it that we never had before, to apply to other games.
Losing, in a curious way, is winning.”
- Richard Bach

It was a national passion that raised all dreams and hopes, and then closed with a bitter ending. This year, the Vancouver Canucks, a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada made it to the Stanley Cup Finals – after waiting for 18 long years.

As the best-of-seven championship series of the National Hockey League (NHL), the Stanley Cup Finals is highly coveted by hockey teams in the US and Canada. I honestly admit I’m not a hard core hockey fan because I find the game too physical and violent at times. But when I heard that the Canucks made It to the Stanley Cup finals I can’t help but tune in. Up against the Boston Bruins, it was a fight of both teams resurging from years of waiting to enter the championships.

It seems like the teams were sharing equal slices of the pie, until Game 7 decided who gets the bigger share. Games 1 and 2 were won by the Canucks, while 3 and 4 by the Bruins. Game 5 by the Canucks, 6 by the Bruins.

As Game 7 began, we hopeful Canucks fans were filled with excitement – the team is playing a home game. It was like a national holiday, all are wearing Canucks shirts, cars carry team flags, hundreds of thousands of people gather in viewing places to show their support.

When my two lovely daughters got ready to head to downtown Vancouver, I wanted to come along. The place is a sight to behold, imagine a sea of people watching like one huge family. I was in Australia during the 2010 Olympics game celebration and for sure I don’t want to miss this one. It was not easy to persuade my husband Ted to come along. He warned me of the riot that happened in 1994 and he doesn’t want to be stuck downtown so we opted to go to the nearest gathering in Surrey, hopped on the motorbike, and sat among the happy, and hopeful Canuck fans. We chanted, “Go Canucks Go! We want the cup! Go Canucks go!” I was even wearing a Canucks jersey!

During the first period, the Boston Bruins scored 2-0, and by the second period it was already 3-to none. We decided to slowly leave the place worried of danger driving back home and sharing the road with disappointed and annoyed harcore Canucks fans.

On our way back to a friends house to continue to watch the final period of the game, I was still hoping for a miracle for the Canucks. The game is not really over until it’s over. In the end, the Canucks scored no goal. I felt sad for my fellow Canadians, but happy for the Bruins. They both did their best except that the Bruins played the better strategies and their amazing goaltender Tim Thomas made sure that his net gets no puck.

Game ends on a chaotic note, but the sweeping was swift

What happened after the game made our hearts sink even deeper. Troublemakers and rioters turned to the streets of beautiful Vancouver and started burning cars and crashing store glass walls, smoke was everywhere and young adults were even posing proud near to the objects of their frustrations. I can’t bear to have our TV turned on. I called my two lovely daughters who went to the city and was relieved to know that they are safe.

A couple of months ago I had an opportunity to personally meet Vancouver Mayor Gregor  Roberston during an awards night.  His face was nowhere vibrant when he said, “Vancouver is a world-class city and it is embarrassing and shameful to see the type of violence and disorder we’ve seen tonight.”

The clean sweep that followed the next day was swift as concerned Vancouverites headed downtown to help restore the city to its grandeur.  Paper walls were filled with pledges of help and uplifting messages.

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson with BC Premier Christy Clark reads the memory wall a day after the Stanley Cup 2011 riot in downtown Vancouver (Photo courtesy of the Vancouver Sun).

Dreams never die

And so the cup indeed slipped from the grasps of the Canadians. But that doesn’t mean it is not far from reach. There is still next year, and the year after that.

For the Vancouver Canucks, I am proud of them for entering the Finals after 18 years. That in itself is a major accomplishment, a dream come true.

Losing is learning, losing is indeed a way of winning too.

What is your experience on the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals?