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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Hockey's sacred quest
Five locals among the finalists for Lord Stanley's mug
New Jersey Devils' Travis Zajac, left, scores against the New York Rangers during the first period of Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference final playoff series, Wednesday, May 23, 2012, in New York. Rangers' Mike Rupp, center, and Devils' Dainius Zubrus, of Lithuania, right, watch the shot. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) (CP)
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L.A.'s Mike Richards (10) celebrates the series-winning goal scored by Dustin Penner in overtime against Phoenix during Game 5 of the Western Conference final. (ROSS D. FRANKLIN / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES)
Los Angeles Kings' Dustin Penner skates during practice in preparation for Wednesday's Game 1 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series against the New Jersey Devils, Tuesday, May 29, 2012, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
NEW YORK -- The Stanley Cup will make it to Manitoba this summer and if you're lucky enough to know one of the five participants with connections to our province, you just might find your way to a party where the opportunity to slurp out of the big chalice will become your reality.
No matter who wins the NHL title -- the Los Angeles Kings or the New Jersey Devils -- there will be a Manitoba flavour to the champion.
The Kings have assistant GM Ron Hextall of Brandon, Winkler's Dustin Penner and Mike Richards, who hails from Kenora, Ont., and as such, is an honorary Manitoban.
The Devils boast Brandon's Bryce Salvador and Winnipegger Travis Zajac to ensure some neighbourhood in this province will host a block party with Lord Stanley's silver cup as the guest of honour.
Back in 2010, Jonathan Toews celebrated his Chicago Blackhawks' championship with a party in St. Vital. Last summer it was Shane Hnidy of the Boston Bruins giving Neepawa a chance to mug with the Cup.
Here's a look at the local content in the final stretch of the hunt for the Cup:
Ron Hextall
HOMETOWN: Brandon
POSITION: assistant GM, Kings
THE 411: The longtime Philadelphia Flyers goalie moved into management after his playing career and has made the long climb to the top. Hextall was a scout with the Flyers and eventually held the title of director of player personnel in Philly. Kings GM Dean Lombardi was with the Flyers then as well and when he got the top job in Los Angeles, he made Hextall his right-hand man. Hextall has a quiet demeanour and is a tireless worker travelling to amateur, AHL and NHL games. He's thoughtful, experienced and has great instincts.
MANITOBA MEMORY: "To me, growing up in Brandon it was all about hockey and one of my greatest memories was going into Winnipeg to try and qualify for the Air Canada Cup. I was 15 and playing midget hockey and we needed to beat the St. James Canadians to get in. It was a one-game, winner-takes-all situation and they were a lot better than us but we won. I want to say it was 4-3. I'll never forget that game."
Mike Richards:
HOMETOWN: Kenora, Ont.
POSITION: centre, Kings
PLAYOFF STATS: 4g, 7a
THE 411: Two-way player with lots of experience as a winner. Gold at the world juniors and the Olympics and a Calder Cup as a rookie with the AHL's Philadelphia Phantoms. Traded last summer from the Flyers to the Kings, Richards has been strong in the post-season anchoring the Kings' second line and making sure no team can focus on Anze Kopitar's top line.
HOMETOWN MEMORY: "To me, that part of the world is all about the lake. It's great to go back and enjoy the summer with family and friends. I'm from somewhere that no one else is from when I'm out in the world. It's such a special place to me."
Dustin Penner:
HOMETOWN: Winkler
POSITION: Left-winger, Kings
PLAYOFF STATS: 3g, 7a
THE 411: A terrible regular season that included off-ice issues -- namely a divorce. Penner found his game in the post-season and is now playing on a powerful line with Mike Richards and Jeff Carter. He scored the winner in Game 5 to clinch the Western Conference title and could be in line for more heroics.
MANITOBA MEMORY: "That lifestyle. It was a long drive for me to go the golf course and that was a mile and a half away. Now I drive 40 miles each way to go to practice. It was laid -back. The availability of the game, especially in a small town. If my dad didn't build an ice rink, my neighbours did. Then there was one across the street in the park and if the game there was full, you went to the next park. It was tough not to find a place to play hockey and it's winter 10 months of the year there. There was always ice to be had."
Travis Zajac
HOMETOWN: Winnipeg
POSITION: centre, Devils
PLAYOFF STATS: 7g, 5a
THE 411: Missed most of the season with an Achilles injury but has been at his best in the playoffs. Solid two-way player with defensive instincts and offensive finish. Could elevate his name to Olympian status with a good final.
MANITOBA MEMORY: "The outdoor rinks. That's what I remember. Being able to skate outdoors whenever you wanted to. After leaving home I've never had that opportunity again. To me that was a big part of growing up."
Bryce Salvador
HOMETOWN: Brandon
POSITION: defence, Devils
PLAYOFF STATS: 3g, 8a
THE 411: After missing all of last season with a concussion, Salvador returned to the game and emphasized his steady, hard-working reputation. The playoffs have been a bit of a revelation as he's joined in on the offence and made plays and scored goals.
MANITOBA MEMORY: "Tying up my skates inside my house, walking down our front steps and skating on our sidewalk to the outdoor rink and then skating all day in a huge game of shinny. There were little kids and guys 10 or 15 years older than me wearing Dale Hawerchuk jerseys. It was just hockey and it was the greatest."
gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @garylawless
more cup coverage on d4
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 30, 2012 D1
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About Gary Lawless
Gary Lawless is the Free Press sports columnist and co-host of the Hustler and Lawless show on TSN 1290 Winnipeg and www.winnipegfreepress.com
Lawless began covering sports as a rookie reporter at The Chronicle-Journal in Thunder Bay after graduating from journalism school at Durham College in Ontario.
After a Grey Cup winning stint with the Toronto Argonauts in the communications department, Lawless returned to Thunder Bay as sports editor.
In 1999 he joined the Free Press and after working on the night sports desk moved back into the field where he covered pro hockey, baseball and football beats prior to being named columnist.
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