My outfit is pretty distinctive: the crisp white short-sleeved button-up, the epaulets on the shoulders, the brass buttons on the collar. Then there’s the navy blue hat that almost looks official. You could very well mistake me for a pilot or a yacht captain, but that’s the schtick: the Captain’s Outfit means whatever you want it to mean.

You may have seen me at a home game, Nation parties or Nation vacations, but usually, you can find me in Vancouver behind enemy lines. Today, I’m going to the game at home in Vancouver, but I won’t be in my outfit, let alone any Oilers gear.

Thanks to my dad donating to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank, we ended up with press box tickets for the game. This was a totally new experience for me. As exciting as that sounds, there are strict rules that I was contractually bound by.

The stipulations stated no jerseys, no team gear, no booze and no cheering. But how can one even enjoy the game with these restraints? I kid, but it did feel personal, as if the Canucks were imposing this just to keep me quiet. It turns out this is actually an NHL-wide policy, and that is why Bob Stauffer is always so well-dressed. With those stipulations in place, I donned my civilian clothes and went undercover behind enemy lines.

In classic November-in-Vancouver fashion, it had been raining all day. Thankfully, it subsided as my dad and I walked to Rogers Arena and entered at Gate 9 to grab our credentials. Once we snagged them, we headed up the elevator to Level 5. You’re way above the play up here. I thought the 300 level was bad during playoffs, but on the fifth level, I felt like I was about to go cliff diving. The pre-game video from the Canucks is cheesy, but wow, is it well-produced. You wouldn’t expect any less from Hollywood North. The campy intro does a great job incorporating special effects and includes a cameo from Cobie Smulders. But other than that, the video felt like a puff piece full of smoke and mirrors – exactly like the fair-weather fans and their team on the ice.

The Oilers started off hot with a quick chance on the goaltender Lankinen, which led to a call on the Canucks thanks to McDavid. The boys had quite a few chances on the power play, but after a mighty one-handed stickhandle by Drai, the Oil scored a working man’s goal, crashing the net. The rest of the period was a back-and-forth chess match with the boys unable to cash in.

At the first intermission, I met up with a friend of mine who is a Canucks fan (see, they aren’t all bad!) who I wanted to collect my winning bet from when the Oilers did us proud by beating the Canucks in the second round of the playoffs. Two tall cans later, we were square and I was throwing them back as I ran up to my sky-high seats.

On to the second! It was a fast and furious start. The quick goals from Perry and Arvidsson had me elated but struggling to resist the desire to jump up and cheer. Instead, I did a few stifled “woo-hoos” and small but mighty fist pumps to express my elation. The Canucks would get those two back by Pettersson and Hronek shortly after. From there on, it was a hold-on-to-your-butts kind of period, both teams trading chances back and forth.

During the second intermission, I met up with Nation Citizen Lance and his partner, Esther. Oil fans truly travel well and know how to have a good time. I would say about 35 per cent of attendees were Oilers fans, and you could hear “let’s go Oilers” or “STUUUUU” after a big save throughout the game.

At the start of the third, the boys weren’t playing around. A good power play that sadly didn’t lead to a goal still gave the boys momentum that led to a Connor Brown goal shortly after. Rogers Arena was definitely deflated, and I “accidentally” broke the no-cheering rule in the press box for that one. Soon after that, Connor (no last name needed) made it 5-2 on the power play.

There was no hiding on Saturday night – Oil fans were LOUD! Brett Kulak decided to up the ante and make it 6-2. My loins are on fire! Connor Brown would add a seventh goal and the Canucks would get one in garbage time to make it 7-3. But too little, too late!

Watching a game up in the press box, while restrictive, was a lot of fun. It gave me a good perspective on how plays develop and what goes into the media coverage behind the scenes. What started as a night behind enemy lines, feeling like the world was against us, quickly turned into an evening of victory and pride as the boys really showed up and put on a performance that I almost couldn’t contain my excitement for. If winning Game 7 wasn’t enough of a clap back to Canucks fans, putting up seven goals in our first game back in their barn is. I hope we all have a grin on our faces, Nation Citizens. That was a fun one.

This is the Captain thanking you for your attention at this time.

This year, a devastating wildfire swept through Jasper, destroying 30% of the community and leaving families with financial and logistical challenges. Nation Gear has teamed up with Jasper Minor Hockey to make a difference, ensuring every child in Jasper can stay active and play the game we all love. Net proceeds from each “For the Love of the Game” t-shirts and crewnecks will go directly toward covering registration fees, travel expenses, and essential needs to keep young athletes on the ice. Help us rebuild the heart of Jasper through hockey – visit NationGear.ca today.