Their unbelievable run to the 1982 Stanley Cup final shocked the hockey world.



Led by a wonderful cast of characters – Roger Neilson and King Richard, Stan Smyl and Tiger Williams, Jim Nill and Harold Snepsts – the Vancouver Canucks had embraced the role of lovable underdogs.



Despite a pedestrian 77 points in the regular season, the Canucks hopped hurdles – Calgary Flames, Los Angeles Kings, Chicago Blackhawks – ’till they reached the NHL’s championship showdown. But springtime’s darlings couldn’t solve the powerhouse New York Islanders.



The sweep’s crushing conclusion arrived May 16 at the Pacific Coliseum. The Canucks, understandably, marked the occasion with a night on the town.



The following day, a Monday, a 12-year-old woke up for school, tiptoed out of his bedroom, and discovered, scattered around the living room, the snoring remnants of five of the Canucks.



The sight...