The puck pundits talk about certain milestone games for the Vancouver Canucks to measure up against other squads.
Sunday's was one of those games. It ended in a 3-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. That was the same score and result when the Motor City's original sixers made their first flight through General Motors Place last season.
Just like last year's schedule, a game between the 6-6 Canucks and the 6-4-1 Nashville Predators follows at the Garage (7 p.m. Team 1040/TSN HD).
Big deal, you say. It's only Barry Trotz and his Team of Twang from Music City, U.S.A.
You mustn't forget one of the ugliest Canucks' games in club history was Nov. 1, 2007 at the Garage. That's when an already bad season got worse for the Canucks. It was an early turning point that eventually sealed the fate of general manager Dave Nonis.
The Canucks gift-wrapped the Predators their first road win of the season. Roberto Luongo allowed goals on the first and last Predators' shots of the game as Vancouver fell to 5-8, including 1-6 at home.
David Legwand's power play goal through Luongo's pads on the first shot of game at 6:16 of the first period was followed less than two minutes later by Martin Erat's even-strength breakaway backhander. Jason Arnott made it 3-0 with 29 seconds to go in regulation.
That was the insult. Now for the injuries. The calendar said All Saints' Day, but the gore said Halloween wasn't over.
Kevin Bieksa departed early in the second after he suffered a cut right calf from the skate of Vernon Fiddler. Sami Salo was hurried off with four minutes left in the third when an errant Alexander Edler shot found his face and broke his orbital bone. Both Bieksa and Salo underwent surgery, but the greater worry was for Salo and his sight. Salo returned three weeks later, while Bieksa was gone until a late February rematch in Nashville.
Head coach Alain Vigneault's line-juggling was also horrific. He packaged Henrik Sedin and Markus Naslund with Brad Isbister. Daniel Sedin joined Ryan Kesler and Taylor Pyatt.
Naslund and Isbister are gone, but the memory of the Nov. 1, 2007 debacle remains.
A cautious Nonis made no trades to shore up the banged-up defence and was eventually fired in April.
