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won its first and only Stanley Cup, the holy grail of professional ice hockey. After joining
the National Hockey League (NHL) in 1970, the team of today, the Vancouver Canucks
(604/899-7400, www.canucks.com ) , was boosted by the likes of Tiger Williams and local
boy Darcy Rota through the late 1970s and early 1980s and made it to the Stanley Cup
final in the 1981-1982 season. In more recent years, the franchise has come closest to re-
claiming the cup in the 2010-2011 season, when it reached the finals and lost in a closely
fought seven-game contest to the Boston Bruins. The Canucks play in General Motors
Place (across from BC Place Stadium on Griffith Way), which was built for the now-de-
funct Vancouver Grizzlies NBA franchise. The season runs October-April; ticket prices
range $60-210.
Football
The BC Lions (604/589-7627, www.bclions.com ) are Vancouver's Canadian Football
League (CFL) franchise. American football fans may be surprised by some of the plays
because the rules are slightly different from those of the National Football League (NFL).
And no, you're not imagining things: The playing fields are larger than those used in the
game's American version. CFL teams have been competing since 1909 for the Grey Cup,
named for Earl Grey, a former governor-general of Canada. Vancouver joined the compet-
ition in 1954, first winning the cup a decade later in 1964. In recent years the Lions have
struggled to gain a large support base, but they continue to perform well, last winning the
Grey Cup in 2011 and before that in 2006. Home games are played at BC Place Stadium,
onthesouthsideofdowntownatthecornerofRobsonandBeattyStreets.Theseasonruns
June-November, with most games played in the evening; tickets cost $32-85.
Soccer
Vancouver is a soccer stronghold, and with two professional teams and dozens of intracity
leagues,itisalwayswellrepresentedonthenationalteam.The Whitecaps (604/899-9283,
www.whitecapsfc.com ), Vancouver's professional men's soccer team, play in the Major
Soccer League, competing against teams across North America through the summer.
Formerly known as the 86ers, the team was sold and renamed in 2001, and players today
havetheunenviabletaskofmaintainingtheteam'srecordasoneofthewinningestinallof
professional sports—the 86ers were undefeated for six entire seasons through the 1980s.
Home games are played at BC Place Stadium, at 777 Pacific Boulevard. The season runs
May-August, and game-day tickets are in the $15-38 range.
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