KRAFT HOCKEYVILLE 2009
Hockeyville excitement building
Brian Compton | NHL.com Staff WriterThe tiny town of Terrace, British Columbia, is bracing for a big Monday night game between the Canucks and Islanders. READ MORE ›
Sure, he was just as excited as everyone else at George Little Park to see the Stanley Cup in town. But while almost everyone in the park was decked out in Vancouver Canucks gear, Gray was supporting the other team that will take ice at Terrace Sportsplex on Monday night.
"I'm really more of an anti-Canuck fan," said Gray, a New Brunswick native who has lived in Terrace for the last 12 years. "I'm actually a (Maple) Leafs fan. I've even got the tattoo on my arm. My brother was a big Islanders fan and I knew Bryan Trottier was coming and of course the Islanders are coming, so I thought I might as well get a jersey and try to get an autograph and cheer the team on."
Gray is one of the lucky ones who will be in the arena on Monday night to see the Canucks play the Isles. He's been blown away by how Kraft Hockeyville has taken Terrace by storm and believes the competition was something the town desperately needed.
"It's just been awesome," said Gray, who teaches at a local elementary school. "It really brought the town together. Everybody just jumped on board -- almost the whole northwest. It's been great. We needed it for this community."
Hearing that is music to Dino Bianco's ears. The Kraft Canada president is stunned by how just how much the corporation's program has grown since it began in Salmon River, Nova Scotia back in 2006.
"We're creating memories here," Bianco said. "It's galvanizing in the community. The pride is there. It starts off as a thought and then it just builds momentum within the community. We're thrilled to be a part of it."
Contact Brian Compton at: [email protected].
NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup, the Stanley Cup Playoffs logo, the Stanley Cup Final logo, Center Ice name and logo, NHL Conference logos, NHL Winter Classic name, and The Biggest Assist Happens Off The Ice are registered trademarks and Vintage Hockey word mark and logo, The Game Lives Where You Do, NHL Winter Classic logo, NHL Heritage Classic name and logo, NHL Stadium Series name and logo, NHL All-Star logo, NHL Face-Off name and logo, NHL. TV, NHL Premium, NHL After Dark, NHL GameCenter, NHL GameCenter LIVE, NHL Network name and logo, NHL Tonight name and logo, On The Fly, NHL Awards name and logo, NHL Draft name and logo, Hockey Fights Cancer, Because It's The Cup, NHL Green name and logo, NHL Vault, Hockey Is For Everyone, NHL Thanksgiving Showdown name and logo, NHL Centennial Classic name and logo, NHL Centennial Season logo, NHL100 Classic name and logo, NHL Global Series name and logo, NHL China Games name and logo, and Don't Miss A Moment are trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. © NHL 2018. All Rights Reserved. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. The Zamboni word mark and configuration of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. © Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. 2018. All Rights Reserved. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.