"It was a pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates by the name of Vernon Law who won a world series the same year he won the Cy Young award in 1960 who is credited with a quote which may well ring true to the Vancouver Canucks as they head into this NHL season.

" Experience is a hard teacher," said the big Mormon right-hander, "because she gives the test before she teaches the lesson."

So it was with this hockey club last spring when they got all the way to the seventh game of the Stanley Cup final only to be found wanting on home ice when it counted most.

That was the exam and the subsequent lesson has been given, and what remains to be seen is what the Canucks have learned from their encounter with this cruel teacher.

General manager Mike Gillis has been asked this question and he comes with a reasoned answer about knowing that his approach was the right one given the great regular season to get them to the playoffs, the three earlier series wins over Chicago, Nashville and San Jose, and the formula employed to get them through."