Vancouver -- The date: Saturday, June 9th 2001. The place: Denver, Colorado. A mere six months after moving to Mile High Colorado from the Deep South for a radio job that vanished quicker than last night's game ending surprise, I was headed to see Game #7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

No, not in-person, but rather at one of the many viewing parties held around the rejuvenated Rocky Mountain hockey town. Still a rousing good time for Lodo sports fans today, Sports Column was one of "the" places to be if no prized Finals tickets were had for the Pepsi Center just a few blocks away.

After attending the 2001 NHL All-Star Game (also in Colorado), I was deeply immersed in all things hockey at the time. I had not yet pledged allegiance to any specific team (as I still keep my followings neutral), but still bought a discounted Avalanche jersey and "made" a fake Stanley Cup with two small trash cans and a bowl taped together and wrapped in foil. We waited in line at Sports Column for over an hour to enter the three-level sporting paradise...three hours before face-off. Let the home-town support via big screens begin! ...but my home-made "Cup" was accidentally left in the car...

New date: Wednesday, June 1st 2011 New place: somewhere on HWY 99 in Richmond, British Columbia. I had almost finished my 150-mile trek from home in Seattle to my first ever Stanley Cup Finals...in-person. I usually listen to country radio on 93.7 JRfm whenever in Vancouver, but "seeking" on the dial came across C-FOX 99.3fm. I welcomed a little rock musical change, and instantly dialed-in to the fever of a country who hadn't been to the Cup Finals in four years when the DJ said "Well, it looks like nobody's workin' today!"

With the ever present East-Coast mandate on early game start times for us on the Best...sorry...West Coast, I don't blame Vancouver one bit for shuttin' it down early- even if this series was played in the States. Road traffic was light with plenty of Canada's favorite car emblems on display- the mini Canucks window flags. People hear make REAL Stanley Cup replicas in their metal shops, and Granville Street was lined with huge public video screens for this ultimate NHL version of the USA vs. Canada. As I descended upon the newly named Rogers Arena, seas of royal blue & green and black & gold jerseys joined me along the way, as well as in city-block long lines outside numerous sports bars around CBC Vancouver headquarters. Yeah, been there boys.

With an internal buzz more profound than the 2010 Olympics, the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals Game #1 was ushered in with the most intense, gladiator-esque game introduction I have ever experienced. The home team chose to scrap player intros and came out on the ice as one unit, echoing the team mantra: "We Are All Canucks". From my seat high above the home right face-off circle, Mark Donnelly raised the voices of the Great White North with "Oh, Canada" and the NHL's final series of 2011 was here at last.

For the first time in 26 Stanley Cup Finals- both Boston and Vancouver played the first 2 periods to an intense and scoreless result. The Bruins acted early with good shots on goal right out of the gate with notably more work on the forecheck. The Canucks tended to more of a reactionary approach to the visitors, trading physical play for aggression, having better shot decisions, and staying toe to toe with the American club in its intensity. As the Boston Bruins pressed for a late game-winning goal with under a minute left, Vancouver wasn't content with overtime either. Embattled journeyman left winger Raffi Torres countered his own aggressive play with a beautifully set-up goal with 18.5 seconds left. Then Final. Scoreboard. Eruption!

The unlikely and surprisingly quick hero joined Hockey Night in Canada's 1st Star Roberto Luongo and GWG 2nd assister Ryan Kesler in the post game interview room. Torres re-capped, "(Kesler) pulling up there, making a heads up play, holding onto that puck. For me just seeing that...Just got to get open...(I) was fortunate enough to get it in the back of the net."

It was this echoed humility from the other players at the media table as well, as they all were too focused on the series to be thrilled with this great moment. Tim Thomas won my vote for 1st Star with 33 stops and mesmerizing saves in each of the night's three periods. Pretty much a little bit of everything showed up for my very 1st Stanley Cup Finals game, 10 years in the making.

"I think we played a real good road game, to be honest with you. To be in the situation we were after two periods, I didn't mind it, especially against this hockey club. I thought our PK did a great job against their power-play. Timmy made the big saves when he had to. Like I said, for two periods, I was pretty pleased. Obviously, third period they were the better team and they ended up scoring that goal," said Bruins coach Claude Julien.

"It got away from us, but we still got an opportunity here in the next game to hopefully get that one and kind of get the home-ice advantage."

...I was frantic, and asked the Sports Column doorman if I could get back in without having to wait in line. Even with a steadfast answer of no, I was determined to get my home-made hockey symbol inside. As I returned from my car with the "Cup", the line magically parted for me as waiting Colorado Avalanche fans eyed the faux cups' arrival. I made it inside the door, but the bar was wall-to-wall with patrons and no walkway for me was in sight. I had to then hold my "Cup" over my head to avoid any damage to it. Funny that I did this...as not only a walkway formed, but all eyes in the bar were focused on my creation and all voices were raised to hockey's Ultimate Symbol. You can't script a better start to "what a night"...

A week shy of 10 years later, what else will be in store for my 1st in-person Stanley Cup Finals? All I know is I look forward to every bit. And who's going to win? After last night's spectacle, that question is more on par with the debate of what food is better: Poutine or Chili Cheese Fries.

Now, where did I put that bowl and those trash cans...

*photo by del Tufo