Mustangs get visit from Stanley

Apr. 28, 2014

The Pee Wee Tier 2 Regina Mustangs got an unexpected visit from the NHL’s holy grail after winning a contest through Scotiabank’s Surprise and Delight campaign.

The Mustangs were honoured for raising more than $300 for breast cancer research by doing volunteer work over a two-week span.

Scotiabank branch manager Angie Watson said that when she saw what the Mustangs had done, she thought, “We’ve got a winner!”

“It shows us they’re giving to the community and that’s what we want to see when we sponsor a team,” Watson said. “Not only are they doing their teamwork and camaraderie, but they’re also bettering the community that they live in.”

Mustangs captain Kolby Eberle was the driving force behind the fundraising.

After seeing the Regina Thunder — the PFC team for which his brother, Brady Keller, plays — sport pink tape during games, Eberle decided to do the same thing on the ice.

The players had to donate money to earn the right to have pink tape on their sticks or pink laces in their skates. Some players donated their allowance, others recycled pop bottles, collected loose change, raked leaves, babysat, etc. It was important to the players that they raise the money themselves and not ask their parents for the money.

“I just thought it would be a good idea,” said Eberle, 12. “We did it last year too and raised more than $600.”

“Hockey’s one of the most-viewed sports,” Ethan Demmans added when asked about the campaign. “We saw an opening to do it and it just happened that we won (the contest).”

The players gathered Friday for a year-end celebration, completely unaware that the Stanley Cup was on the premises.

After getting into their uniforms in one dressing room, they were led to another room where the trophy sat. When they were ushered in, the reactions varied.

Demmans was first into the room and he just smiled when he saw the Stanley Cup. Eberle was next and, when he caught sight of the trophy, yelled, “Holy crap!”

As the other players entered and viewed the iconic mug, they crowded around and started looking for their favourite teams or players.

“Where’s Gretzky?”

“The Montreal Maroons?”

“Where’s Vancouver?”

Ryan Ottenbreit, 13, is a Boston Bruins fan. After finding his team inscribed on the trophy, he started looking for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

“I wanted to see how long ago they won it and how many times,” he said. “It’s more than I thought.”

Why did Ottenbreit want to find the Leafs if he cheers for Boston?

“I just don’t like them,” he replied with a grin.

Eberle, a distant cousin of Edmonton Oilers star Jordan Eberle, also searched for the Leafs. After locating them, he took in everything about the trophy, surprised that players’ names also are engraved on it.

“It’s inspiring,” he said. “So many hockey heroes have won it that it makes you want to win it as well.”