2003 Western Conference Quarterfinals Game 7 vs. Blues

Lore & Background

The 2003 series against the Blues was a coming-of-age moment for the young Canucks core. After falling behind 3-1 in the series, Vancouver showed remarkable resilience, winning Game 5 in Vancouver and Game 6 in St. Louis to force a Game 7. The Blues, a perennial powerhouse led by Chris Pronger, Al MacInnis, and Keith Tkachuk, were heavy favorites, but the Canucks refused to fold. Game 7 became a classic, with the teams trading chances and the tension building with every save and every missed opportunity. The game's defining moment came in overtime when Henrik Sedin, then a 22-year-old Swede in his third NHL season, scored the series-winning goal off a feed from his twin brother Daniel, cementing their place in Canucks lore and igniting a rivalry that would define the early 2000s.

In Their Own Story

The puck drops in overtime, and the Savvis Center is a cauldron of noise. The Blues have dominated stretches of the game, but Dan Cloutier stands tall. Now, the Canucks' young Swedish twins, Henrik and Daniel Sedin, take the ice. Henrik wins a faceoff in the neutral zone, and the puck cycles back to Mattias Ohlund at the point. Ohlund fires a slap shot that is blocked, but the rebound squirts to Daniel behind the net. With a quick spin, Daniel feeds Henrik in the slot. Henrik, with a calm that belies the moment, one-times the puck past Blues goaltender Chris Osgood. The red light flashes, and the Canucks bench erupts. Henrik is mobbed by his teammates, while the Blues' faithful fall silent. It is a goal that would echo through Canucks history.

Reader's Guide

The score is 1-1 late in the third period, the series tied 3-3, and the Savvis Center is deafening. The Blues have just killed a penalty, and the crowd is roaring for a game-winner. With 6:11 left in regulation, the Canucks' Brendan Morrison carries the puck into the Blues' zone. He drops it for Mattias Ohlund, who winds up for a slap shot from the point. The shot is blocked, but the puck caroms to Daniel Sedin behind the net. Daniel, with his back to the play, quickly flips the puck to the slot, where Henrik Sedin is waiting. Henrik, without hesitation, one-times the puck past Osgood's glove. The goal is initially waved off by the referee, but after a brief conference, it is confirmed. The Canucks pour off the bench in celebration, while the Blues' players slump in disbelief. The image of Henrik Sedin being swarmed by his teammates, with the Blues' Chris Pronger standing motionless in the background, becomes an indelible snapshot of Canucks playoff history.

Did You Know?

• This was the first playoff series win for the Canucks since 1995, ending an eight-year drought.
• Henrik Sedin's overtime goal was his first career playoff goal.
• The Canucks became the seventh team in NHL history to win a best-of-seven series after trailing 3-1.
• The Blues had won the Presidents' Trophy in 2000 and were considered a Stanley Cup contender.