It started innocently enough. It ended with dozens of Canucks fans shotgunning beers in the middle of the season opener against the Calgary Flames.
By the end of the game, and the meme Canucks fans needed was born.
I doubt that Mike Halford and Jason Brough 鈥� the one-time Kurtenbloggers that are now with TSN 1040 and The Athletic 鈥� anticipated just how much #ShotgunJake would take off when they jokingly introduced the idea on their radio show. It started with Brough boldly predicting a 20-goal season for Virtanen 鈥� twice his career-high 鈥� and jokes about an advent calendar counting down his goals, with beer in place of chocolate, because this is Canada and hockey, of course.
That evolved into the idea of shotgunning a beer every time Virtanen scored. From there it was an easy jump to the nickname Shotgun Jake and an untouched hashtag: #ShotgunJake.
It didn鈥檛 take long for the first beer to be shotgunned. Just over five minutes into the third period of Wednesday鈥檚 game, Jake Virtanen, fresh and rested from two minutes spent in the penalty box, burned rubber past Mark Giordano and tucked the puck five-hole on Mike Smith. It was a gorgeous goal.
The sound of the goal horn was matched by the sounds of beer cans cracking open across the province. Instead of just Halford and Brough shotgunning a beer, Canucks fans province-wide celebrated Virtanen鈥檚 first goal of the season with a beer of their own.
There鈥檚 just no beating the guy who cracked open his can with his teeth.
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Jake Virtanen with the first gino of the year, my fridge is stocked bud! Let's empty it!
鈥� Nick Hopkins (@WePushClouds)
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first beer in three weeks!
鈥� Myc Sharratt (@mycsharratt)
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Mad respect to the guy who shotgunned a beer at centre ice. Literally beer league.
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鈥� Greg Tearle (@GregTearle88)
Had a late night hockey game but still had to
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鈥� Michael Harris (@Mharris_747)
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鈥� Buy Out Beagle (@scarbacon)
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鈥淵ou can mop after.鈥�
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鈥� GregDairyFarmer (@DairyGreg)
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I approve of the soundtrack to this one:
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鈥� Matt Sonnenberg (@matt_sonnenberg)
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1
鈥� Keaton (@KeatonMacKay)
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鈥� Daryl F (@darylf)
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Some didn鈥檛 have a can available, so just drained their cups, pints, or pitchers (sort of).
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鈥� Scott Constable (@wippitywap)
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I don鈥檛 have any cans on hand. Here鈥檚 a pint for
鈥� Dennis Grant (@HeavyD_79)
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鈥� Chris Faber (@ChrisFaber39)
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Let鈥檚 face it: even with the excitement over the first win of the season and Elias Pettersson鈥檚 dazzling debut, this is still likely to be a long season with more L鈥檚 than W鈥檚. Canucks fans are going to need more to cheer for than just wins, as well as some fun distractions.
That鈥檚 why #ShotgunJake is perfect for this season. It鈥檚 a reason to cheer for Virtanen to score, aside from just wanting a young player to succeed. It鈥檚 an excuse to get just a little bit drunker, which could be very necessary. And it鈥檚 spawned the best nickname on the Canucks.
Shotgun Jake is a perfect nickname for Virtanen, far better than 鈥淏ig Country鈥� or 鈥淏ig Tuna鈥� or any of the other nicknames Canucks fans have tried to stick to the young Abbotsfordian. You can just picture Virtanen running around crazily in Fortnite, wielding a shotgun, trying to score kills while the rest of his squad bemoans his recklessness like he was .
Shotgunning a beer has an inherent 鈥渇rat bro鈥� quality to it and, despite never going to college, so does Virtanen. Let鈥檚 be clear: that鈥檚 not a judgement on Virtanen, frat bros, or on people who shotgun beers. I have met some lovely frat bros in my time. It鈥檚 just acknowledging a widely-understood truth.
Also, shotgunning a beer is just good fun and so is Virtanen. He loves to have a good time on and off the ice.
So, next time Virtanen busts down the wing and drives to the net, have a can of beer at the ready. #ShotgunJake could strike again at any moment.
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Disclaimer: Please shotgun your beers responsibly. If you shotgun a beer, call shotgun on the ride home.
