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Vancouver making plans to avoid another riot

Riot Breaks Out After Game In Vancouver

VANCOUVER, BC - JUNE 15: Rioters try to flip a car on June 15, 2011 in Vancouver, Canada. Vancouver broke out in riots after their hockey team the Vancouver Canucks lost in Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Finals. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Bruce Bennett

If the Sedins keep playing the way they’ve been playing, Vancouver won’t have to worry about another Stanley Cup riot.

But just in case the Canucks make it to the finals again, The Province reports steps are being taken to avoid a repeat of June 15’s smashy-smashy-burny-burny fiasco.

“We all want to ensure a fun atmosphere during the playoffs, but obviously it’s not going to be the same as last year,” said Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson.

No, obviously it won’t.

For starters, the city’s decided against the “cram thousands upon thousands of wasted fans into a city block with nary a cop to be seen” strategy. They’ll be going with smaller venues this time around, with ticket-only outdoor events.

Stopping trainloads of young suburbanites from streaming into the downtown core is another objective. Most rioters, at least the ones that were charged, came from outside Vancouver. And they brought their alcohol along.

“We need to stop people from getting on the train with alcohol, to stop people getting out of the train with alcohol,” said deputy city manager Sadhu Johnston.

No specific plans to keep revelers from flooding downtown in June were provided, though trading Cody Hodgson was probably a good start.