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Columnist: Canucks fans should be nervous after team loses for first time in eight games

bieksa angry face

VANCOUVER, CANADA - OCTOBER 26: Kevin Bieksa #3 of the Vancouver Canucks looks on from the bench during their game against the Colorado Avalanche at Rogers Arena on October 26, 2010 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Vancouver won 4-3 in overtime. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Bieksa

Jeff Vinnick

Who says Vancouverites overreact whenever the local hockey squadron loses?

/makes riot joke

In today’s Vancouver Province, Jim Jamieson has a piece titled “Canucks nation nervous after ugly 3-2 loss to sputtering Flames.”

Since we realize newspaper writers aren’t responsible for headlines, here’s the lead:

CALGARY -- It was the kind of stumble that’s certain to make Canucks Nation a little nervous heading into the playoffs.

The Canucks squandered a chance to put themselves in the driver’s seat for the Presidents’ Trophy here on Thursday, blowing a 1-0 third-period lead en route to a sloppy 3-2 loss to a Flames team that was out of it last week and looked for most of the first two periods like they were ripe for the picking.

Just to clarify, the Canucks went into the Calgary game...

-- Riding a seven-game winning streak, one of the longest in franchise history (record is 10.)

-- As one of only two teams with 50 wins (Pittsburgh became the third after beating the Rangers.)

-- Having already clinched the Northwest Division and a top-two spot in the Western Conference.

-- Holding a two-point lead on St. Louis for first in the West.

-- Tied with the Rangers in the Presidents’ Trophy race.

Granted, there were a couple of negatives. The Canucks no longer control their own fate for first overall in the league. They also lost the NHL’s longest streak of not losing in regulation after leading after two periods (102 games, 97-0-5).

That said, the piece was written in a week where St. Louis was listless in a 5-2 loss to Columbus; Boston sat out Tim Thomas, Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron in Ottawa while Chicago scratched Dave Bolland and Andrew Brunette with minor injuries against the Wild.

In other words, it’s not unusual for contenders to take it easy at this point in the season.

What’s ironic about Vancouver is a similar situation happened last year. The Canucks won 12 of 13 to win the Presidents’ Trophy, then went out and laid back-to-back eggs against Edmonton, causing widespread panic throughout the city.

“Right now we don’t have much to play for and it is tough for some of the guys,” Roberto Luongo said at the time, trying to calm the masses. “But we know what we have to do. We need to have a couple good performances to get ready for the playoffs.”

Vancouver then proceeded to make its first Stanley Cup finals appearance in 17 years.