Cup of Cheering
CRANBERRY TWP — Lord Stanley's Cup made its first public tour stop Monday evening here.
About 2,000 people in 300 groups lined up at Dick's Sporting Goods to take pictures with the National Hockey League's top prize won by the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier this month.
The Penguins won the cup after defeating the San Jose Sharks in six games under first-year coach Mike Sullivan.
“They did great after the coaching change” said Pittsburgh resident Lane Langford of the season.
Langford was with his wife, Cara, and two children, John and Chris.
“I got nervous with the (Tampa Bay) Lightning, but I felt like we had it,” he said.
Among those at the trophy presentation was Penguins commentator and retired hockey great Phil Bourque, who said this year's championship team might arguably be the best of all time.
“Any chance you have to embrace this or throw a party because of this, you should do it this year because it doesn't happen every year,” Bourque said of the celebration.
The Ol' Two-Niner aided the Penguins in their Stanley Cup triumphs in 1991 and 1992 and witnessed the team's two most recent championships as a broadcaster.
“They're both gut-wrenching,” Bourque said of both situations. “I found myself experiencing the same emotions the day of the game, that nervousness, the anxiety and the anticipation.”
Bourque's name was inside the cup along with the names of many jewelers who had worked on the trophy in the past. He repaired a loose bolt on the inside of the trophy and etched in his name with a screwdriver after the Penguins won the Stanley Cup in 1991.
His name along with others was removed in the past several years, Stanley Cup keeper Mike Bolt said.
Bolt, a 17-year employee of the NHL Hall of Fame, carried the 35-pound trophy down the red carpet onto the pedestal for people to take pictures with.
“It's great when you get to be with the real fans,” Bolt said. “Our sport of hockey has some of the most passionate fans in the world. For them to wait in line patiently for two to three seconds with Lord Stanley, it shows the dedication and passion for this great game.”
Jeff Jimerson also reprised his role Monday by singing the national anthem before the cup came out.Fans were allowed to touch and kiss the cup along with taking pictures with it, but were not allowed to pick it up.“We've been waiting since last time they won the cup,” Moon Township resident John Hutchins said. “We're excited about getting pictures with it.”Hutchins was with his family, including his grandchildren.The cup will be at some private corporate events and then will travel to Los Angeles to start its world tour. No more public events for the Stanley Cup in the area will be held for now.“This would make a great Christmas card,” said Bill Scott of having a picture taken with the cup.The Center Township resident was with his 4-year-old daughter, Elysabeth.“How we started, we were a .500 team and then moved forward in January,” he said.
