Roger Neilson gave birth to “Towel Power”. But it was the fans at the Pacific Coliseum that made it a Canucks tradition and his legacy.
It started in Game 2 vs the Chicago Blackhawks in late April, 1982. The officiating was horrible and seemingly one-sided that night, it enraged the Canucks bench. It angered them so much assistant coach, Ron Smith, yelled out “We give up, we surrender, we give up!” “Tiger” Williams suggested to throw sticks on the ice as a form of protest, but Roger Neilson thought this would be more effective.
