Competition Site

Pacific Coliseum

2901 East Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC V5K 5J1

Pacific Coliseum is an indoor arena completed in 1968 at the site of the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE). The arena currently holds 16,281 for ice hockey, though capacity at its opening was 15,569.

The Pacific Coliseum is currently the home to the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League. The arena also hosts a variety of events and concerts. It has been chosen as the venue for figure skating and short track speed skating during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Other hockey tenants of the Pacific Coliseum have been the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL from 1970-1995 and the WHL from 1968 to 1970, the Vancouver Blazers of the WHA from 1973-1975 and the Vancouver Voodoo of the RHI from 1994-1995.

 For more city information please visit the Tourism Vancouver website.

History

Designed by W.K. Noppe in 1966–67, with its simple geometric shape and distinctive ring of white panels, the building can be classified as formalist architecture. Used initially as home to the WHL's Vancouver Canucks, the building was used to attract an NHL franchise in 1970 and a World Hockey Association franchise in 1973. The Coliseum underwent renovations and additions in the late 1970s, but its role as host of an NHL team and a main venue for events in Vancouver was lost with the construction of GM Place in 1995.

Recent renovations were completed in 2007 to upgrade seating, HVAC and the ice surface for its use as a venue for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Events

The Pacific Coliseum hosted its first NHL game on October 9, 1970. The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Canucks 3–1 in the Canucks NHL debut. The Kings' Bob Berry scored the first goal, with Barry Wilkins scoring the first goal for the Canucks. Its final NHL game was played on May 27, 1995. Chris Chelios scored the arena's last NHL goal in overtime as the Chicago Blackhawks eliminated the Canucks in the conference quarter-finals. Roman Oksiuta scored the last Canucks goal.

The 1982 and 1994 Stanley Cup finals featured games at the Coliseum. On May 16, 1982, the New York Islanders beat the Canucks 3–1 and were awarded the Stanley Cup on Coliseum ice. On June 11, 1994, the New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks met at the Coliseum in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Jeff Brown and Geoff Courtnall each scored twice as the Canucks won the game 4–1 to even the series at three games apiece. However, they lost the series to New York by a 3–2 score in Game 7. Canucks owner Arthur Griffiths called it "the greatest game ever played at Pacific Coliseum." The Coliseum also hosted the 1977 NHL All-Star Game.

The Pacific Coliseum hosted Game 4 of the 1972 Summit Series on September 8, with the U.S.S.R. beating Canada 5–3. In a famous post-game interview, Phil Esposito gave an emotional response to the booing of the crowd that was broadcast on national television.

The Pacific Coliseum also played host to the 2006 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.