CdnSailor
09-24-2011, 11:19 PM
Royals defeat Vancouver Giants 5-3 before 7,000 noisy fans
As 7,000 fans, almost all with cowbells, erupted in earsplitting cheers when the Victoria Royals skated on to home ice for the first time at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre Saturday night, the free earplugs came in handy.
Steps away from the table where hockey fans were given the free cowbells was a team of hearing specialists handing out the earplugs.
“It’s going to be quite noisy,” said Dan Hickman of Connect Hearing, in what turned out to be a massive understatement.
Excitement ran through the all-ages crowd as, egged on by the ever-bouncy mascot Marty the Marmot, fans went all out to demonstrate that Victoria has been without a Western Hockey League team for too long.
“We are thrilled,” said Sharlene Lyseng, whose husband, Greg, was sporting a Victoria Cougars sweater. Over the years the couple has billeted more than a dozen Cougars and Victoria Salsa hockey players and are delighted the WHL is back in town. The Cougars, also WHL, left Victoria in 1994.
“The WHL is our favourite,” said Sharlene.
As the Royals scored their first goal against the Vancouver Giants, quickly followed by the first on-ice scuffle, it was clear from the overjoyed yells and cheers that the city has some new heroes.
Even those wearing Giants jerseys welcomed the Royals.
“I am so happy there’s a WHL team from the Island. Now we need one up in Nanaimo,” said John Manning, as he playfully scuffled with Marty the Marmot.
Fans were undeterred by the lack of Royals jerseys, making do with blue sweatshirts or whatever other hockey jersey struck their fancy.
Dale Toupin managed to score a Royals sweatshirt at the pre-season game and figures he’ll be wearing it for much of the winter.
“It’s going to be awesome,” he said, before the game.
“It’s going to be cool to see where the players get drafted from. We finally have good, high-level hockey in Victoria.”
None of the fans were more excited Marc Brulot-Sawchyn, who was celebrating his eighth birthday with 10 friends.
“I am going to get to ride the Zamboni tonight at the first intermission,” said the St. Patrick’s Elementary School student.
The Zamboni ride was part of a birthday package, he explained, wide eyed.
“I haven’t done anything like that before.”
Gary Harris, being pulled along the Memorial Centre forecourt by five-year-old Logan and four-year-old Dominic, simply wasn’t moving fast enough, according to his sons.
“Hurry, someone’s going to take our space,” said Dominic, pulling at his dad’s Vancouver Canucks jersey.
One of the calmest fans was service dog Chip the poodle, who, ignoring the surrounding cacophony, positioned himself between owner Angela Miranda and her partner, Damian Kruz.
“It is a bit hard for him to work here, but he’s trained to behave no matter what,” Kruz said.
Miranda, who works for Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre, one of the game’s sponsors, has worked with Chip for about two months and, when not attending hockey games, the dog alerts her to ringing telephones or doorbells.
Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/sports/Victoria+Royals+first+ever+home+opener+greeted+sol d+arena+earsplitting+cheers/5454721/story.html#ixzz1YwFnZZ4g
As 7,000 fans, almost all with cowbells, erupted in earsplitting cheers when the Victoria Royals skated on to home ice for the first time at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre Saturday night, the free earplugs came in handy.
Steps away from the table where hockey fans were given the free cowbells was a team of hearing specialists handing out the earplugs.
“It’s going to be quite noisy,” said Dan Hickman of Connect Hearing, in what turned out to be a massive understatement.
Excitement ran through the all-ages crowd as, egged on by the ever-bouncy mascot Marty the Marmot, fans went all out to demonstrate that Victoria has been without a Western Hockey League team for too long.
“We are thrilled,” said Sharlene Lyseng, whose husband, Greg, was sporting a Victoria Cougars sweater. Over the years the couple has billeted more than a dozen Cougars and Victoria Salsa hockey players and are delighted the WHL is back in town. The Cougars, also WHL, left Victoria in 1994.
“The WHL is our favourite,” said Sharlene.
As the Royals scored their first goal against the Vancouver Giants, quickly followed by the first on-ice scuffle, it was clear from the overjoyed yells and cheers that the city has some new heroes.
Even those wearing Giants jerseys welcomed the Royals.
“I am so happy there’s a WHL team from the Island. Now we need one up in Nanaimo,” said John Manning, as he playfully scuffled with Marty the Marmot.
Fans were undeterred by the lack of Royals jerseys, making do with blue sweatshirts or whatever other hockey jersey struck their fancy.
Dale Toupin managed to score a Royals sweatshirt at the pre-season game and figures he’ll be wearing it for much of the winter.
“It’s going to be awesome,” he said, before the game.
“It’s going to be cool to see where the players get drafted from. We finally have good, high-level hockey in Victoria.”
None of the fans were more excited Marc Brulot-Sawchyn, who was celebrating his eighth birthday with 10 friends.
“I am going to get to ride the Zamboni tonight at the first intermission,” said the St. Patrick’s Elementary School student.
The Zamboni ride was part of a birthday package, he explained, wide eyed.
“I haven’t done anything like that before.”
Gary Harris, being pulled along the Memorial Centre forecourt by five-year-old Logan and four-year-old Dominic, simply wasn’t moving fast enough, according to his sons.
“Hurry, someone’s going to take our space,” said Dominic, pulling at his dad’s Vancouver Canucks jersey.
One of the calmest fans was service dog Chip the poodle, who, ignoring the surrounding cacophony, positioned himself between owner Angela Miranda and her partner, Damian Kruz.
“It is a bit hard for him to work here, but he’s trained to behave no matter what,” Kruz said.
Miranda, who works for Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre, one of the game’s sponsors, has worked with Chip for about two months and, when not attending hockey games, the dog alerts her to ringing telephones or doorbells.
Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/sports/Victoria+Royals+first+ever+home+opener+greeted+sol d+arena+earsplitting+cheers/5454721/story.html#ixzz1YwFnZZ4g