Baertschi remembers returning to Portland from an international tournament. His previous roommate was traded during the tournament, and that's when Cunningham moved in.
"I walked in and Cunny is sitting in the living room, with no shirt on, staring at me," he said, laughing. "I knew right away, this must be an awesome guy. He really took care of me there. It's been tough to keep in touch over the years but I will always remember the great times we had in Portland."
Baertschi has been trying to get as much information as he can on Cunningham's condition. He decided the best way he could show his support was to play for his friend.
His Canucks teammates knew the game Wednesday was special for Baertschi and they were happy he played such a big role in the win.
"You never wish that kind of thing on anyone and Sven told us all what a great guy Craig is," forward Alexandre Burrows said. The line of Burrows, Baertschi and Bo Horvat scored eight points, with each scoring a goal. "I know what happened really affected Sven. I think he might have dedicated that one to him."
"You want to help but you can't," Baertschi said. "You know his family is there for him, but you want to reach out. I know he's a fighter and he's going to get through this. All you can do is pray for him and hope for the best."