Excitement growing in NHL finals as someone from southwestern Ontario will hoist the Stanley Cup
Excitement is growing for game two of the Stanley Cup Finals on Monday, and with local representation on either team, someone from southwestern Ontario will hoist the Stanley Cup.
A player from Kitchener with the Las Vegas Golden Knights, a player from Six Nations and aplayer from Paris, Ont. on the Florida Panthers are vying for the NHL championship.
In the first game of the series held Saturday, the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Florida Panthers 5-2.
KITCHENER’S NICOLAS HAGUE
Fans on King Street cheered on Kitchener’s Nicolas Hague, who now plays defence for the Golden Knights. Bobby O’Briens hosted the City of Kitchener’s viewing party.
Hague is a former Kitchener Dutchmen, and before that, he played for the Kitchener Junior Rangers.
Dean DeSilva was his head coach when he played with the Kitchener Junior Rangers U16 AAA team back in 2014.
DeSilva said he has been in contact with Hague ever since.
" That’s Nic. He hasn’t lost that value of where he’s from and the community that he’s from," DeSilva told CTV News.
DeSilva admitted that a lot has changed since then - mainly his size. Hague is now 6'6".
"When he played for me he was a Bambi on ice," joked DeSilva.
But one thing that hasn't changed is Hague's humble personality.
“He is one of the nicest humans I ever met. Even at 15 years old, you could see the foundation that his parents instilled in him,” DeSilva said. "He was a great teammate. A great player and he just wanted to get better.
DeSilva said he is confident that the Golden Knights will do well during the rest of the finals.
“Vegas is up for the challenge, and Nic will be there in the thick of things, I’m sure,” he said.
Hague's parents are in Las Vegas, supporting their son and said they couldn't be more thrilled for his success.
"We are super proud and excited for Nic and appreciate all the local support that Nic and the Golden Knights are receiving," his parents said to CTV News in an online message.
Tim Barrie with the Ayr Centennials, who bought the Kitchener Dutchmen, said they are also cheering Hague on.
"Nic is a great ambassador to local hockey," said Barrie. "Ayr is proud of Nic."
Barrie said there will be a Wall of Fame installed in the future that will include Hague.
SIX NATIONS CELEBRATES BRANDON MONTOUR
There was also a viewing party in Six Nations for game one, where all eyes were on Brandon Montour who now is a defenceman for the Panthers.
Montour spent part of his childhood in Oshweken.
Six Nations elected Chief Mark Hill says the best part of his success is the impact on youth in the community.
“It’s an incredible feeling. We’re doing everything to support him, as much as we can. We came up with a fundraiser, lawn signs and decals… all proceeds which will go back to our local minor sports association and teams in Six Nations,” Hill said at the viewing party.
Montour himself said he was grateful for all the support from Six Nations.
“The support, not just for myself, Zac Dalpe, he’s obviously from Paris, which is 15, 20 minutes away as well. To have two guys playing at this level and playing into June – you got the whole city, the whole town, the reserve watching. So it’s a support. We don’t want to let them down. We’re going to play as hard as we can to get that done,” Montour said in an interview with Sportsnet.
According to his NHL profile, Dalpe was born in Paris, Ont. and was drafted in 2008 in the second round and went 45th overall.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
U.S. vetoes a widely supported UN resolution backing full membership for Palestine
The United States has vetoed a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
N.L. gardening store revives 19th century seed-packing machine
Technology from the 19th century has been brought out of retirement at a Newfoundland gardening store, as staff look for all the help they can get to fill orders during a busy season.