Wild cheers could be heard all over the downtown shortly after Alex Burrows' second goal of the game bit the Beantown boys 3-2 in overtime.
The best-of-seven Stanley Cup final heads to Boston on Monday with the Canucks holding a healthy 2-0 lead.
All the sunshine and warm weather for the first time this post season brought out the most massive crowds of the playoffs and the Saturday time slot helped boost numbers to about 70,000, police said.
The fans were overjoyed with Burrows' heat-seeking wraparound 11 seconds into overtime, befuddling Boston goalie Tim Thomas.
A mood of pure elation, and what some called "togetherness," exploded when Burrows came out of nowhere.
Strangers danced and hugged. A woman who was topless except for blue Canucks body-paint danced on top of a red school bus.
"The twins are back!" joked Warren Out, 20, of Burnaby. "I've never had so much fun in my life."
"There is nothing like this togetherness," said Michelle Henzy, 19, of Surrey. "This team has changed Vancouver."
The fans celebrated almost as if the Cup was already won, hoisting and kissing replicas, wanting to savour a perfect Saturday and party until Sunday, saving thoughts about the next game for later.
They were jammed shoulder-toshoulder along Granville and at the CBC studios on Hamilton watching giant TV screens. Sections of Robson were closed, along with some lanes on West Georgia.
Vancouver Police Const. Jana McGuinness estimated about 70,000 people were partying downtown.
"We're getting close to Olympicsized crowds here," she said.
But she added the Canucks crowd tended to be younger, whereas the Olympics gatherings were more family-oriented.
She wouldn't described the crowd as well-behaved, but said people were under control.
About 400 liquor pourouts were expected because many young people were openly drinking, she said.
Naneek Grahm, 33, of Whitehorse, Yukon, said it was an "amazing" experience to be among so many happy, liked-minded people.
"We've shut down the streets," she said.
Omar Vasquez of Coquitlam was set up in the middle of the street with camp chairs, a tin foil Cup, and full face paint and green-dyed hair, along with his seven-year-old son Tyler. The tone was set early by Canadian rock 'n' roller Randy Bachman, who opened the proceedings at Rogers Arena with a rendition of his hit song "Takin' Care of Business."
Injured Vancouver centre Manny Malhotra echoed the lyrical theme by returning to work for the first time since severely injuring his left eye almost three months ago.
"Malhotra's return was a huge emotional boost," said Greg Geipel.
Even before Game 2 began, Canucks fans were already poppin' at the party plaza.
They showed up for the summerlike temperatures dressed in T-shirts, shorts and flip flops.
Arthur Brunn, 30, of Vancouver, told his wife that the game was more delightful than getting married.
"Honey, I'm more excited that I was on our wedding day," he said. "She understood. I've been a Canucks fan all my life. I'm elated. If we win the Cup, it will be the best day of my short life. The Canucks are ours. The Olympic gold medal was Canada's," he said.
Rosey Hudson, 29, of Vancouver, said she had a feeling six months ago that the Canucks would be in the final.
"June is the time to travel, and I thought about going on holidays to Bali, but I decided not to.
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