VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Fourteen-year-old Parker Wotherspoon was in the stands at Rogers Arena on June 15, 2011, watching his beloved Canucks lose to the Bruins 4-0 in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. It was just one of “150-200” games he attended while growing up in nearby Surrey, British Columbia, with both his parents and grandparents being season ticket holders going back more than two decades.
It certainly feels like a home rink to Wotherspoon, now 25. But he’s a visitor to Rogers Arena now. The rookie defenseman skated in his fifth NHL game on Tuesday night as the Islanders continued their four-game western swing against the Canucks.
“I’m not a fan anymore, definitely not [Tuesday night],” Wotherspoon said after the Islanders practiced at Rogers Arena on Monday. “But it’s exciting. I’ve watched them my whole life.”
Memories of 2011 have been all around Wotherspoon in the Islanders’ organization.
Former Islanders and Bruins defenseman Johnny Boychuk, now in the Islanders player development department, worked on the ice with Wotherspoon during Tuesday’s optional morning skate. Cory Schneider, part of the Canucks goalie tandem along with Roberto Luongo in 2011, has been Wotherspoon’s teammate for three seasons with the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport and in the NHL as he served as Ilya Sorokin’s backup the past six games before being sent back. down on Monday.
And former Bruins captain Zdeno Chara capped his NHL career with the Islanders last season, working with Wotherspoon during training camp.
Wotherspoon said he definitely discussed the 2011 Cup Final with Schneider. The Canucks took a 3-2 series lead to Boston after Luongo blanked the Bruins 1-0 in Game 5. But the Canucks had lost Games 3 and 4 in Boston by a combined 12-1 and Luongo was pulled after allowing three quick first- period goals in the Bruins 5-2 win in Game 6. Luongo started Game 7 as well.
“Definitely picking [Schneider’s] brain and getting inside [info] is pretty cool,” Wotherspoon said. “We talked about the game, there’s not much you can do now. Maybe he should have had a chance to start Game 6, but you couldn’t with the way Luongo was going.”
A month ago, Wotherspoon couldn’t have imagined that he would get to play his first game at Rogers Arena during the Islanders one trip to Vancouver. But Adam Pelech suffered a suspected head injury on Dec. 6. Robin Salo took Pelech’s spot in the lineup for the first seven games of Pelech’s absence before Wotherspoon was recalled from Bridgeport on Dec. 23.
His steady play has kept him in the lineup as Ryan Pulock’s partner. He averaged 14:02 of ice time over his first four games with five shots and was a plus-2.
“He’s a very smooth skater,” said defenseman Sebastian Aho, Wotherspoon’s teammate with both the Islanders and Bridgeport. “He might not look the fastest just because his legs aren’t moving all the time. But he’s very smooth. He gets up to speed really quickly and he keeps his head up. He’s a really smart player.”
Wotherspoon has tried to be low-key about his homecoming.
But he could not deny that this was a special trip for him.
“Definitely special walking out there and being on the ice instead of watching,” said Wotherspoon, who estimated around 30 friends and family were in attendance on Tuesday night.
“Like I said, probably over 150 games here. It just will be fun to be out there and having family there will make it more special. My buddies are going to be super excited. I’m just excited to play at home. Even just walking out there, I’m like, ‘Here we go. This is sweet.’”
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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