VANCOUVER 鈥� It was a sea of blue shirts and watery eyes.
Longtime Canucks stars Henrik and Daniel Sedin laced up for their final game on home ice in Vancouver, a night made even more special as the twins turned back the clock to combine for two goals 鈥� one the overtime winner 鈥� in a spirited 4-3 overtime win against the Arizona Coyotes.
The first goal was Daniel鈥檚 22nd of the season and was scored 33 seconds into the second period. The second was the winner, making it a storybook ending to their illustrious careers.
Talk about a Swede parting gift for the adoring fanbase.
Countless standing ovations and viking claps later, the Sedins, visibly emotional, took a victory lap around the rink as the fans showered them with cheers for one final time.
As they were interviewed on the ice after the game, the fans chanted 鈥渙ne more year.鈥� The Sedins were then embraced by the teammates they so dutifully led all these years.
Outside the arena, thousands of fans paid tribute to the beloved twins however they could, carrying homemade signs and sporting well-worn jerseys as they made their way to the game.
They lined up outside to pay tribute on a mural wall, writing words of gratitude (and melancholy) in silver pen: 鈥淗ank + Dank, Thank you for all the amazing memories. It will be VERY strange not seeing #22 & #33鈥�
鈥淭hank you for showing us what it means to be Canucks.鈥�
鈥淵ou are legends and will always be a CANUCK! Thank you for all the best hockey memories.鈥�
Some held back tears as they described the deep emotional connections they鈥檇 come to feel with the twins over 18 seasons of hockey, through all the ups-and-downs.
Grace Chun stood waiting for a friend who made the sign she was wearing, adorned with dozens of glowing lights, which simply read: 鈥淐ongrats Henrik (and) Daniel.鈥�
Chun was a longtime season-ticket holder until this year, supporting former captain Markus Naslund before the twins came along.
鈥淚 love Swedish hockey players, the way they play,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e very humble, low-key, unassuming. I like their style.鈥�
Going on a hunch and following much discussion by fellow Canucks fans, Chun steeled herself long before news came Monday that the irreplaceable twins had decided it was time to retire.
鈥淲hen it actually became real, I was sad, because I felt like I really didn鈥檛 appreciate the style of play that they influenced all these years,鈥� Chun said. 鈥淭o not be able to see that is kind of heartbreaking.鈥�
She鈥檒l follow them to their final game Saturday in Edmonton, against the Oilers.
Rob and Sue Foster came from Port Alberni to celebrate Sue鈥檚 birthday and missed the chance to sign the tribute wall, but instead shared their memories of the Sedins with a reporter.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e amazing ambassadors,鈥� Sue said. 鈥淲hat they do for charities, everything.鈥�
Rob said he was grateful for the Sedins鈥� 鈥渟pecial shifts鈥� and power plays, the likes of which he doesn鈥檛 think he鈥檒l ever see again.
Kenny Wong, there with six friends, said the Sedins always showed strong character and grace in response to critical media.
鈥淭hey were able to tough it out and that goes to show what players should be like as they鈥檙e maturing in their careers,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 hope the younger players can take that away from them.鈥�
Inside the arena, fans lined up patiently for their turn to buy jerseys and T-shirts to commemorate the Sedins鈥� impressive careers. A highlight reel played on the scoreboard, showing some of the most exciting moments from their time in Vancouver 鈥� 1,304 games for Daniel and 1,328 for Henrik. At 7 p.m., as the twins took to the ice, the roar of the packed arena was overwhelming.
Nick Bondi, who runs the website bcsportshub.com, came to Rogers with a sign advocating for the Sedins鈥� place in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
The 23-year-old said he鈥檚 been a fan of the twins since he first got into hockey when he was six. Over their careers, as they racked up more than a 1,000 points each, he became convinced they were unlike any players Vancouver has ever seen.
鈥淭hey have a Stanley Cup Final appearance, they have Art Ross (trophies) and they鈥檝e meant so much here to the community,鈥� he said, pointing out their $1.5-million donation to sa国际传媒 Children鈥檚 Hospital in 2010.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e, for sure, the greatest Canucks of all time. Easily.鈥澛�
