Towel Power

Towel Power in Vancouver during the Canucks' 2007 NHL Playoffs

Towel Power is a term used by the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL) to describe the waving of rally towels by their fans. The tradition started in the 1982 Western Conference Finals where Vancouver played the Chicago Blackhawks. During game two of the series head coach Roger Neilson waved a white towel on the end of a hockey stick in a mock surrender after being upset with the officiating. Neilson was ejected and the Canucks lost 4–1. When Vancouver returned home from Chicago for the following game fans supported both Neilson and the Canucks by waiving towels first at the airport when the team arrived and then during the next game. The Canucks won the next three games and advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals where they were defeated by the New York Islanders. As part of the tradition the Canucks hand out towels prior to playoff games for fans to help support the team.

History

Background

Late in the 1981–82 season the Vancouver Canucks played a game against the Quebec Nordiques in Quebec City. During the game Canucks' enforcer Tiger Williams was punched by a fan. In response Canucks' head coach Harry Neale went into the crowd to "get the fan" and a few players followed suit. For his actions NHL President John Ziegler suspended Neale for eight games. Neale's suspension began with four games remaining and assistant coach Roger Neilson took over the head coaching duties for Neale. Vancouver finished the year with a 30-33-17 recorded, second in the Smythe Division and qualifed for the playoffs. Neale's suspension then carried over for the first four games. Despite the losing record the Canucks finished the year with an eight game unbeaten streak, which continued into their first round match-up with the Calgary Flames. Vancouver swept the Flames in three straight games advancing to the second round where they faced the Los Angeles Kings. With Canucks General Manager Jake Milford retiring and Neale set to replace him, Neale told Milford to keep Neilson as head coach for the remainder of the playoffs believing the team had bonded under his guidance. With Neilson remaining as head coach the Canucks eliminated the Kings in five games and advanced to the Western Conference Finals against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Incident

Towels laid out on each seat at the Pacific Coliseum prior to the 2007 Memorial Cup final in Vancouver.

Vancouver won the first game of the Conference Finals in Chicago, but fell behind in game two 3–1. During the game the Canucks felt that referee Bob Myers was making questionable calls against them. During the second period Vancouver had a goal disallowed. They then had a the fourth consecutive penalty called against them. Denis Savard scored on the power play to put the Blackhawks up 4–1. This enraged the Canucks' bench. Assistant coach Ron Smith yelled out "We give up, we surrender, we give up." Williams suggested to Neilson that he throw sticks onto the ice in protest. Neilson noted that he had done that before and he had a better idea. He proceeded to take a white towel and place it on the end of a hockey stick holding it up in a mock surrender. Some of the Canucks' players followed suit. Neilson was ejected from the game along with three players. Vancouver goaltender Richard Brodeur later noted that although they lost the game the atmosphere in the locker-room was so positive it was as if they had won.

Aftermath

Neilson was fined $1,000 and the franchise was fined $10,000 as a result of the incident. Myers later called Nielson's action "bush league". While NHL executive vice-president Brian O'Neill stated that the mock surrender "disgraced the championship series." Canucks' captain Stan Smyl noted that several players were "surprised" by Nielson's action because the coach had always been "respectful" and it was an "extreme way for him to react". When the Canucks returned home they were greeted by fans at the airport waiving towels in support of the team. During game three, fans waived towels to show support for the Canucks. Local vendors were even selling white towels outside of the arena. Vancouver won game three 4–3 to take the lead in the series. For game four there were more fans waiving towels as the Canucks won again 5–3. Vancouver won game five in Chicago and advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they were swept by the New York Islanders.

To continue the tradition the organization produces 20,500 white towels with the Canucks logo for each playoff game. Following his first playoff game in 2007 Vancouver forward Alex Burrows stated "It looks like the fans are really into the game and the atmosphere out there is something else, people are really passionate instead of just sitting and no one moving or anything like some places. It just creates movement and it seems like there is more enthusiasm and intensity in the building."

Others

Several other hockey teams have implemented towel waving. Red and blue towels are waved by fans of the Calgary Flames and Toronto Maple Leafs respectively and fans of the Anaheim Ducks wave bright orange "Fowl Towels" in the playoffs. The Boston Bruins fans also utilize both black, gold, and white towels on various playoff games. Towels have often been implemented by other teams at various times for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Similar traditions exist in other sports as well.

See also

• Terrible Towel
• Homer Hanky

References

• Douglas, Greg; Kerr, Grant; Raible, Garry (2010), Canucks at Forty: Our Game, Our Stories, Our Passion, Mississauga, Ontario: John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd., ISBN 978-0-470-67916-6 

External links

• Complete description of the "Towel Power" night from vancouverhistory.ca
• Towelpower.net - Canucks opinion and blog site named after the 1982 phenomenon