Fans in Vancouver were certainly ready for a change.
Following a 4-1 loss at home to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, the Canucks cleaned house, firing general manager Jim Benning and head coach Travis Green. The team is operating with a group front office but veteran Bruce Boudreau has taken over for Green behind the bench.
In Boudreau’s first game as coach, a charged-up Canucks team earned a commanding 4-0 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. As the clock wound down at the end of the third period, fans stood up to enthusiastically cheer for the Canucks, something the team hasn’t seen much of this season.
There’s a lot of work to do for the Canucks, who sit dead last in the Pacific Division with a 9-15-2 record, but the hope is that Boudreau can lead them on a run that salvages their season.
Back in 2007-08, Boudreau took over a Washington Capitals team that owned a 6-14-1 record. They went 37-17-7 the rest of the way and won the Southeast Division.
More must-reads: