Score Saturday - Vernon Vipers

Most cities in each province in Canada usually have a hockey team.  Some belong to the OHL, WHL, CHL, etc. In Vernon, the team is called Vernon Vipers.  Their home area is at the new Kal Tire Place which just opened in September 17, 2018.  Shortly after, we started thinking about getting some tickets and watch some local hockey games.  It has been over a year and we still have not been to one.  Until last week when someone offered free tickets to watch the Vernon Vipers.  It was a nice treat and we decided to take advantage of this great opportunity to support the local team.  The Vipers will be playing against the Salmon Arm Silverbacks.  We don't really know anything about the standing of each time.  But we know that some of their games are more exciting as they tend to have higher scoring games.  This is just from watching the local evening sports reports.  It's an evening out and hopefully it will be a great game.  Of course, since it will be in the area, I am planning to dress warm and bring a blanket, just in case.  Since it is a free ticket, the seats are a bit on the higher part of the arena.  Hopefully not to high or we won't be staying long.  The other important part of this event is that it is honoring the First Responders of our city.  Luckily the Vipers won during a shoot out.  

I was the lucky winner for this gift certificate for being in the lucky seat for that night.

This was the lucky ticket.  They were giving a price after the Vipers scored the first goal.

Stanley Saturday - NHL Playoffs

This years NHL playoffs, Jeff and I decided to have our own hockey pool.  We took turns picking teams from each of the games.  What is funny is that he got four of the Canadian teams and I only got one (Oilers).  Two days ago the first group had their first game and yesterday the rest played.  So far the score is Jeff - 1  and Luckie - 7.  Here's a breakdown of our teams:

• Jeff's group - Senators, Leafs, Canadiens, Flames, Blue Jackets, Wilds, Blackhawks and Sharks (he's from San Jose so he has to have this team).
• Luckie's group - Oilers, Ducks, Predators, Blues, Rangers, Capitals, Bruins and Penguins.

There is actually no monetary gains, just a friendly competition to make the playoffs much more exciting to watch.  It was shocking to see the LEAFS in the playoff but maybe it's their turn.  All my friends in Canada have teams that are not Canadian teams.  One friend is a Detroit Red Wings loyal fan while his wife was a Toronto Maple Leafs very loyal fan.  My BFF Percy is a HABS die hard fan.  As for me, when I first started watching hockey when I use to live in Yellowknife, I was a Bruins fan.  There was only one TV channel and on Monday and Wednesday and Saturday night - it's good old Hockey Night in Canada.  Through the years of watching hockey I had switched from Bruins to Flyers, NY Islanders to Quebec Nordics, then Avalanche and now Sharks.  An interesting story - a couple of weeks ago my girlfriend Debbie ask me to watch the Sharks and NY Rangers.  It has been a few years since I had been at the Sharks Tank.  During the game I was telling her the story of my nephew who grew up with this talented hockey players.  The last time I checked he was playing for the Avalanche.  After I checked the roster, I found out he was not playing for them and after texting with my sister, she informed me that he got traded to the Rangers.  His name is Nick Holden # 22 of the NY Rangers.  I met this kid a few times between the age of 8 and 11.  The Sharks won that night on overtime after Nick was penalized for holding.  

                                               

 

Montreal Monday - My BFF's team

It always amazes me that Spring is already here and the NHL playoff has not even begun.  This year my BFF's team the HABS are in first position in the Atlantic Division Eastern Conference.  I know that he's going to be watching all their games up to the Stanley cup.  When I showed Percy the latest cell phone charger holder, he liked the idea and I thought I could make him his own with his favorite team fabric or logo.  The problem is that fabric store here does not carry anything Canadian.  Then I had an idea, I could ask him to buy me the fabric from Canada and mail it.  Percy thought that was too much trouble for me so he opted just to have one with the HABS colors (red, white and blue).  Since he is my BFF, I needed to make something special because he is not just any BFF, he's like a brother to me.

While searching online, Jeff found a patch that I could use.  As usual Jeff orders it from his store.  He said that it might take a while because it was not Prime and it was going to be coming from some Asian country.  It has been almost two months and the other day a small envelope from Thailand was in our mail box.  That's when I remembered what we had ordered.  So here's my own creation of the Montreal Canadiens aka the HABS cell phone charger holder for my very special friend Percy.  I know he checks my blog often so I hope he will like it.  Unfortunately I won't be able to send it to him since I am waiting for my girl friends who will be coming for a visit and staying at our B&B.  So Percy, be patient and it will get there by end of next month.  In the meantime you can just admire what you see below.

Percy's very own cell phone charger holder for home and for travel.

 

Marleau Monday - Go SHARKS

Patrick Marleau of our San Jose Sharks has scored 9 goals for the last 5 games.  It's too bad he couldn't do another one so he could have the real record of two goals per game for five consecutive wins.  Now that I reside here there is no question that I should be cheering for the home team SHARKS.  Unfortunately we won't be able to see them play live because the tickets are a little expensive specially the ones in the lower section which is what I prefer.

Actually Jeff likes watching at home because he likes the play by play comments.  Of course it is a different atmosphere seeing it live, but I don't mind watching at home because our TV does a great job.  Last night's game celebrated some special numbers.  It's the coach McLellan's 200 game win, it's the goalie Niemi's 100 win, and it's Patrick's most goal tying a 95 year old NHL record.  In summary, our Sharks has won all their five games.  Is it because they had so much time off?? Maybe the hockey season should be shorter or maybe not.  Next game will be against their rival DUCKS but they are still at home so hopefully another win.  I have change my nail polish this week to support the Sharks since I only have two T-shirts with the Sharks logo.

The color is possible a shade less than the Sharks color.

Score Saturday - Haven't heard it lately

SCORE! have you heard it lately?  This is the third month of NO hockey and it seems like they have cancelled all regular games until December 30.  Without hockey I have no choice but watch football.  Last Monday I saw a TV special - Maple Leafs 75 years.  Although I was never a Maple Leafs fan, it brought back a lot of memories because I had lived in the Toronto area for 13 years.  The fans of the Leafs are like any other hockey fans, they are very loyal and very supportive in that you can never get any tickets to watch them live.  It's funny that I believe I have seen the Sharks play at least five times (even before I moved here) and I have only seen the Maple Leafs play once (pre-season game).  Anyway, the TV special was filled with memories as they show old and new clippings.  Some of the clippings was even before I knew hockey (60's to 70's).  They also talked about the change from the Maple Leaf Gardens to the Air Canada Centre.  In case you are wondering why I am going on and on about this topic?  Believe it or not, I miss watching Hockey specially on Saturday nights.  Last season I was very happy to see that the hockey channel actually cover the one where Don Cherry and Ron McLean.  Here are the different teams that I cheered for through the years. 

• New York Islanders - when I lived in Yellowknife
• Boston Bruins - when I moved to Whitehorse
• Colorado Avalanche - because they were previously Quebec Nordics
• Ottawa Senators - for the few years I lived in Ottawa temporarily
• San Jose Sharks - because I moved here and they are a great team  

In 1979 we were at the Edmonton International Airport on our way to visit Manila for the holidays.  My sister and I were watching a group of good look men in suits.  I noticed and recognized one and told my sister it was Glenn "CHICO" Resch of the NY Islanders.  She dared me to approach him and get an autograph.  I accepted the dare and Chico ended up introducing me to the rest of the team and signed a blank page in my pocket calendar.  Later that year when I changed the calendar, I forgot all about that special page.  I knew that there would not be a monetary value but it would have been nice to get it framed, right?

Hopefully I will have this for the 2013 season