LUMBY, British Columbia -- When the Stanley Cup arrived here Saturday, it wasn't hard to see how the small logging town won Kraft Hockeyville 2016 in Canada.
As Keeper of the Cup Mike Bolt escorted the trophy to a community celebration with two members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police by his side, the line of people waiting to see the Cup ran 5-6 across, all the way around three edges of a large field adjacent to Pat Duke Memorial Arena, and out into the parking lot.
Considering Lumby has 1,731 residents, it was impressive to see more than 2,000 people waiting for a chance to take a picture with the Stanley Cup. That didn't include hundreds of children inside the arena taking part in on-ice clinics being led by NHL alumni including Eric Godard, Dean McAmmond, David Oliver, Fernando Pisani, Jerred Smithson and Aaron Volpatti.
"I expected a huge crowd, that's why we got here this early," said James Saxton, who showed up 90 minutes before the Cup arrived with his son Jack and was first in line.
Stanley Cup arrives at Kraft Hockeyville
Lumby, British Columbia, celebrates with trophy