Hockey Night in Banff

Saturday morning was spent entirely in bed. In fact, I didn't leave my pit until 2:00pm, but at least I'd been awake, chatting to the family, checking emails, listening to music and catching up on other admins for about 6 hours.. By 2:00 it seemed like laundry was a pressing matter since there wasn't much chance to do that on my working days, but I procrastinated so much with that that I was too late even for the 5:00 bus into town!

An annual event organised by Sunshine Village and Lake Louise is the inter-resort hockey match, which took place this year in the Banff Recreation Centre (which I'd never even seen until that evening!), and on Saturday. From what I'd been told by others, last year's game was a lot of fun but we had been beaten very thoroughly by the Lake Louise staff, who mostly live in Lake Louise hamlet and have little other than the ice rink to entertain themselves with on their days off. I think someone mentioned 13-3 to them... So I thought that would be a good laugh and an opportunity to spend the night off-hill. I'd already checked with the SameSun and there were still rooms available for that evening. So I caught a bus into town with my PJs and toothbrush in my backpack!

However, before the hockey game, there were issues that needed attending to. One of these was my stomach, which was sorted out by a 'tropical teriyaki' from Japanese take-away Edo, and the other was my ski boots, whose liners had started to split at the end. I returned them to Glacier Shop (where I'd bought them 4 months ago), and chatted to one of their technicians who was sure that I could get them replaced, although it would take them about 2 weeks... In the mean time, I was lent a couple of liners from a rental pair of boots to keep me skiing.

Next on the agenda was a new fleece. My UK Junior Nationals fleece is getting too hairy to be worn in public, and also looks really stupid with my 2nd pair of trousers because they are the exact same shade of blue. I was quite specific- it couldn't be blue, it had to be fairly warm, and it needed to have a full-length zip and zipped pockets. If it had 'Banff' on it somewhere that would be even better. Heading back into Glacier Shop, I browsed ther selection but couldn't find what I was after. The gentleman who'd dealt with my boots approached and asked if there was anything else I was after, so I described the sort of fleece I was after. Of course, he directed me to the correct rack, where I found a beautful fleece which was everything I was after. I looked at the label- $90. I looked at the label again- $90. Broken zip- reduced to $10. What a steal! Only half the zip pull was there, however the fleece was otherwise perfect and the zip still very easy to operate. Of course I bought it!

Next, I headed to the Banff Recreation Centre in time to explore and to watch the end of the previous game. It's got a main ice arena and a mini ice rink, as well as a curling strip. I think that the mini rink and the curling strip have a different surface in the summer and are used for tennis or badminton, but our game was taking place in the main arena. By the time the previous game had finished, supporters from Sunshine had started to arrive (although I didn't recognise many of them, since they lived in town and I didn't have contact with them during my normal day- remember, we have over 800 people working here!). The arena filled up as well as a small group of Lake Louise supporters who had one large flag between them. I met up with some ski instructors, including Corrie, and we shared the ATTACK! and DEFENCE signs. Later on, though, we'd get bored with those and hold up TED! (a fellow ski instructor) when he got the puck.

Sunshine: ~200 supporters. ~50 players (most on bench, many never played). Lots of uniforms (anything and everything goes). Raving fans. Inclined towards just mocking the game. Good fun, not too fussed about winning. Pre-game drinks.

Lake Louise: 20 supporters. 10 players (at most 4 on bench). Matching uniforms. Fans completely overpowered by Sunshine's. Inclined towards carefully rehearsed and practiced maneuvers, and treating it very seriously. Pretty bent on winning. No alcohol for team.

However, despite the mismatch, Sunshine scored the first goal! We're not too bad at hockey after all! There were some good skaters and shooters on our team, but the goalie made some truly awesome saves. However, our luck slowly ran out and by the time I left to take photos in the 2nd period, we were 3-1 down. But the match was building up to a crescendo which finally resolved itself a couple of minutes before the final horn, when a Lake Louise attacker who'd been unnecessarily hitting our goalie with his stick, got a retaliation to the face which built into a brawl. The ref tried to break it up; the ref got a ripped jumper; the ref took off her helmet and slammed the door on the way out, and the game was ended with 2:27 still on the clock! Someone thought it would be funny to bump SSV's score up to 6, and it was- the team was cheered as they left the arena! Good fun to be had by all (unless you support Lake Louise...).




Corrie, Dean and Roz



Lake Louise fans The only proper action shot I got!

'Final score' (actually 3-2 but the board, controlled by a Sunshiner, said 3-6!)

In the mean time, I'd been invited to sleep on a coach in town by some instructors, which I was very grateful for since walking to, sleeping in and paying for a bed in the SameSun would be a real pain. Their place on Banff Ave. was very large and comfortable with a very soft couch, so after watching a Calgary Flames match (who were beaten by the Edmonton Oilers :( at home) and some popcorn, I settled in for a very comfortable night in town, for the first time since I'd left Banff Springs nearly 4 months ago. In the morning, when my alarm went off and I persuaded myself to look at my watch, I saw 3-30. Great, I thought, 3 more hours in bed because I'd set my alarm wrong! But no, that was the date, and I needed to get up... Then, in the walk to the bus stop, the bus ride, the gondola ride and the walk to work through the 13cm of fresh powder, I was reminded why I live on hill!

But thank you Trent, Dean, Roz and Corrie for the couch!