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Ice hockey fans (from left) Paul Le Comte, Ferg Campbell, Tom Hedderwick and Devon Wallace watch game six of the Stanley Cup finals at the Baaa Bar in Dunedin yesterday. Photo by Craig Baxter. |
The Stanley Cup finals appeal to all kinds - even halfway
across the world in Dunedin.
Canadian Devon Wallace is a Boston Bruins supporter by
default.
He feels the same way about the Vancouver Canucks as Otago
feels about Canterbury or Canterbury feels about Auckland.
"There is a bit of a rivalry between Vancouver and my home
team, Calgary, and I can't cheer for Vancouver because of
that," he said.
"I'll cheer for any other team other than Vancouver."
We understand.
Paul Le Comte has been a passionate Vancouver Canucks fan
since the 1994 Stanley Cup finals in which his newly adopted
side was defeated by the New York Rangers 4-3.
A friend had introduced him to the sport and they watched all
seven games of that series. With the Canucks returning to ice
hockey's big finale he used the power of internet social
networks to rope a group together to watch the games at
different bars around Dunedin.
When the Otago Daily Times arrived at one such venue
yesterday, Le Comte's side was trailing the Bruins 4-0 in
game six and eventually lost 5-2. The series is now tied 3-3
with one game to play.
"It's been a topsy-turvy series," Le Comte said.
"Game seven is back in Vancouver on Thursday. We've shut them
out twice in Vancouver," he added with a confident grin.
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