Chicago Blackhawks (2010–11 playoff saga)
The seven-game war that turned a Presidents' Trophy into a clenched-fist survival story.
The Vancouver Canucks–Chicago Blackhawks rivalry exploded into one of the NHL's most bitter modern feuds during the 2010 and 2011 playoffs. After the Canucks won the Presidents' Trophy in 2010–11, the Blackhawks—the defending Stanley Cup champions—nearly derailed their Cup run in a seven-game first-round series that became legendary for its drama, tension, and a Game 7 overtime that still haunts both fanbases. This saga defined an era of Canucks hockey, pitting a rising powerhouse against a hated rival that refused to yield.
Quick Facts
- First playoff meeting
- 2010
- Defining series
- 2011 first round (Game 7 OT)
- Key canucks figure
- Roberto Luongo
- Key blackhawks figure
- Jonathan Toews
- Rivalry peak years
- 2009–2011
- Series outcome
- Canucks won 4–3
Lore & Background
The rivalry began in earnest during the 2009–10 season, when the Blackhawks swept the Canucks in the second round of the playoffs, outscoring them 16–8 and exposing Vancouver's defensive weaknesses. Chicago's young core—Toews, Kane, Keith, Seabrook—seemed to have the Canucks' number, and the series ended with a humiliating sweep that left Vancouver fans simmering. The following season, the Canucks won the Presidents' Trophy and entered the playoffs as Cup favorites, only to draw the Blackhawks again in the first round—a matchup no one wanted.
Reader's Guide
Opponent: Chicago Blackhawks. Rivalry peak: 2010–11. What made it personal: The Blackhawks swept the Canucks in the 2010 playoffs, outscoring them 16–8 and exposing Vancouver's defensive cracks, then met them again in the first round of 2011 as the defending champions. The series featured a controversial hit by Raffi Torres on Brent Seabrook that drew blood and a suspension, a Game 6 collapse by Vancouver that forced Game 7, and the unforgettable overtime winner by Alex Burrows—a fluky, bouncing shot that ended Chicago's reign and sent Vancouver into the second round. Fans still reference 'the Burrows goal' as the moment the rivalry peaked, and the 'post' that saved Luongo is a ghost that haunts Chicago fans, a metallic whisper of what could have been.
Did You Know?
- Roberto Luongo made 36 saves in Game 7, including a critical stop on a breakaway by Patrick Kane in overtime.
- Alex Burrows' Game 7 overtime goal was initially waved off by the referee before being confirmed after a brief video review.
More in Great Rivalries
Elsewhere in Vancouver Canucks
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced