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Vancouver Canucks' sellout streak to end after 474 consecutive games

The Canucks' streak began with a sellout in a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings on November 14, 2002, and has now ended 12 years later...
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Nicklas Jensen presses for the puck against Corey Perry and Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson during the 2013/14 season. During this game

The Vancouver Canucks' sellout streak is over.

In an email to season ticket holders sent on Friday morning, the team's Chief Operating Officer Victori de Bonis thanked Canucks fans for their support and said the team's streak has ended after 474 consecutive sellouts.

(*NOTE: de Bonis says the Canucks' last game on Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers was the team's 474th consecutive sellout, meaning the team could perhaps still sell out this weekend's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning and extend the streak. de Bonis did not elaborate, however, on how many tickets remained unsold for that game.)

"As a Season Ticket Member, we wanted to let you know first that our sellout streak has come to a close as the longest active streak in the NHL and one of the most extensive in professional sports," reads the email. "It's an amazing achievement and it's been a truly remarkable ride, filled with some of the most exciting moments in Canucks history.

"We are a strong franchise with a competitive team and bright future. With a season ticket base at 97% of what we had last year, we still anticipate many sell outs. And for those games we don't, we'll be using this opportunity to donate tickets to kids and community groups who won't otherwise be able to experience a Canucks game live."

The Vancouver Canucks' sellout streak began on November 14, 2002 with a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings.

Since that game, the Canucks have made the Stanley Cup playoffs eight times and won two Presidents' Trophies. The sellout streak was the longest active in the NHL and (according to this report) was actually the second-longest active in North American professional sports.

As of March 28, 2012, the Canucks' streak was the third-longest behind the Boston Red Sox and the Dallas Mavericks. The Sox failed to sell out a game in 2013.

In his email, de Bonis goes on to say the past six months – which has seen the team transition from the era of Mike Gillis and a season under coach John Tortorella to a new dawn led by Hockey Operations president Trevor Linden, general manager Jim Benning, and head coach Willie Desjardins – has "been some of the most positive I've experienced since we opened Rogers Arena back in 1995.

"I say we are 100% committed to putting you at the forefront of everything we do," he continued.

"If we do that, I believe we'll be talking about many memorable games and a new sellout streak again very soon."

PHOTO: The email sent from de Bonis to season ticket holders

Vancouver Canucks - Letter to Season Ticket Holders

The Vancouver Canucks also announced the news on their website, selling the drop in selling with the following infographic – a sort of journey through the best years of the team's 11-season reign as the NHL's most in-demand viewing:

Vancouver Canucks - Sellout Streak Over