Chicago Blackhawks History 102: Hawks-Canucks Rivalry

Daniel Carcillo (13) reacts after scoring against Vancouver Canucks goaltender Cory Schneider (35) during the third period at Rogers Arena. The Vancouver Canucks won 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports” src=”https://blackhawkup.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/99/files/2013/11/72912021.jpg” />So far the on the circus trip, our Chicago Blackhawks have been through chills in Denver and thrills in Winnipeg. Now, it’s on to Vancouver and the Greatest Rivalry on Earth!

When you’re a Stanley Cup contender and then a Stanley Cup champion, there’s a good chance there’ll be bitterness left in your wake, and sometimes, an enemy or two in a given season. However, when you got talent, determination, and class and you come across a team that has talent, determination, and no class, you got the making of a rivalry, and for the Blackhawks, with rivals like the Vancouver Canucks, who needs enemies.

There are many measures of a great sports franchise, but one that is often under the radar, is being part of great rivalry. Chicago, being a great city, is full of great sports franchises with great rivalries. The Chicago Bears have their storied history with the Green Bay Packers, the Chicago Bulls had their New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons grudge matches in the Michael Jordan dynasty and are now trying to take piece of the Miami Heat whenever they can, and the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox, when they’re not their own worst enemy, enjoy getting under each other’s skin in the Crosstown Classic.

When it comes to our beloved Chicago Blackhawks and their historic rivals, the names Detroit Red Wings, and to a lesser extent, the St. Louis Blues come to mind of most traditional Hawks fans. Both being teams in the same division as Chicago, which is usually how it goes when it comes to rivalries in all sports (see above). Yet, ask those that have recently swelled the ranks of Hawks faithful who first comes to their mind when you ask who is Chicago’s hockey rival and then answer will be two words in now particular order (because they’ve probably been drinking at one of the 300-level bars in the United Center): Canucks, Vancouver.

The renaissance of the Chicago Blackhawks has yielded more that just two Stanley Cups; it has also created another great sports rivalry. With the Hawks taking on the Vancouver Cannots for the first time in the 2013-2014 campaign, and the rivalry entering it’s fourth year, let’s all take a moment to reflect, remember, and reignite this latest and greatest sports rivalry…

It’d be hard to believe that two teams on the opposite ends of the Western Conference could come to butt heads as hard as the Hawks and Canucks, but they have, and here’s the reason:

Wind the clocks back to a spry year known as 2008… The new and improved Chicago Blackhawks, who had barley missed the play-offs the year prior, and after defeating the ho-hum Calgary Flames in the first round of the playoffs, moved on to face a “powerhouse” in the Western Conference, the Vancouver Canucks.

The Hawks faced the Canucks in a….okay, I’m sorry I can’t write this post as the impartial hockey historian as I need to be and that you Blackhawk Up followers have come to know, love, admire, and write provocative emails to… So pause, here are some gut reactions regarding the Hawks and Cannots rivalry over the years:

–       The Hawks upset a cocky team (*cough* the Canucks *cough*) twice that thought their amazing goalie formally know as Roberto Luongo, now known as Cry Baby, in two play-off series: 2009 and 2010 respectively where Patrick Kane and Dustin Byfuglein, both scored hat tricks.

–       Cuck the Fanucks!

–       Here’s another Canuck crying moments: Ryan Kesler accused then-Blackhawk Andrew Ladd of being a “coward” after an on-ice hit in the 2008-2009 post season.

–       Cuck the Fanucks!

–       Terrible NHL player Raffi Torres laid a cheap shot on Brent Seabrook in the 2011 post-season series that even caused stoic Capitan Serious (aka Jonathan Toews) to remark:  “It’s just concrete evidence of how much we dislike that team, and it’s added motivation to our situation.” Raffi Torres would go on to lay cheap shot on other beloved Blackhawk Marian Hossa in the 2012 postseason as a Phoenix Coyote. His awfulness as a Canuck carried over – I rest my case!

–       Cuck the Fanucks!

–       Dave Bolland “the Rat” and his protégé Adam Burish harass Daniel and Henrik Sedin of the Vancouver Canucks during the 2010 post season. Bolland goes on to call the Sedin Twins the Sedin Sisters in a Chicago radio broadcast. The term sticks and is awesome!

–       Cuck the Fanucks!

–       Duncan Keith gets suspended 5 games after giving Sedin Sister Daniel Sedin an elbow in the head at the United Center (he’s booed by Cauncks fans every game thereafter, but who cares?!) in Chicago on March 21, 2012. The following season, Canucks forward Jannik Hansen (fake name) was suspended for one game following a game between the two teams on February 20, 2013, when Big Hoss was hit in the back of the head by the forearm of Hansen and had to be helped off the ice.

–       Cuck the Fanucks!

–       PS – the Blackhawks were the only team to take the Canucks to seven games in the 2011 post season, after being down 3-1, and only lost in OT in Game 7 after traitor defensemen Chris Campoli made a sloppy clearing pass that was intercepted by Alex Burrows who slapped it by Corey Crawford for the win.

–       Cuck the Fanucks!

–       Cuck the Fanucks!

–       Cuck the Fanucks!

So sorry for not a more comprehensive synopsis, but I really don’t like the Vancouver Canucks. Let’s make some more history tonight boys!

FOR THE DAGGER!