Canucks Fans Chant JT Miller's Name After Hit Leaves Flames Forward Laying Motionless

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Liam McCormick
October 9, 2024 (8:51 PM)

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Shortly into the Canucks first game against the Flames, JT Miller laid a thunderous hit that left Flames forward Kevin Rooney lying awkwardly on the ice. Later, Miller had to answer with a fight.

The puck worked out to JT Miller past Rooney, and while the Flames forward was chasing after the puck, Miller laid in with a hardcore reverse hit. It looked like a clean shoulder to shoulder contact, but Rooney went down into the boards hard. The Flames forward then laid still on the ice for a few moments in an awkward position that was tough to see.

A spirited scrum ensued on the play, and Rooney looked to be in brutal shape while stirring around and trying to get up. Medical staff brought out the stretcher, but thankfully Rooney was able to skate off with the help of his teammates. At first, it looked like Rooney's injury could be a seriously scary scene.

Rogers Arena in Vancouver was a little too excited about the massive contact early in the game however. Canucks fans in attendance were chanting JT Miller's name while Rooney was clearly very injured on the ice, which many fans online found to be a terrible look. It's okay to be hyped by a big hit, but when there's a serious injury on the play, a celebration isn't the right reaction.

Later on in the game, Flames forward Anthony Mantha looked to pair off with JT Miller and make him answer for the hit. Mantha is a bigger, traditionally tougher player, but Miller actually got the best of him with a few direct punches. The fight ended as Mantha missed a punch and fell down hard to the ice.

Click here to see video of the fight between JT Miller and Anthony Mantha

Hopefully, Rooney isn't severely injured and is able to get back on the ice as fast as possible. It was a horrible and awkward result that can sometimes happen from a clean hit, a sight that you just don't love to see. On the other hand, the incident definitely sparked something in the Canucks, who quickly took a 3-0 lead.