Members of the Royal Canadian Navy and civilian hockey fans alike were beaming after a weekend filled with hockey legends and once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
Hometown Hockey came down to CFB Esquimalt on the weekend, along with hosts Don Cherry, Ron MacLean and Tara Stone.
One special weekend on Vancouver Island. Standing on guard and with pride, we salute you, CFB @EsquimaltBC.
— Rogers Hometown Hockey (@hometownhockey_) February 18, 2019
Thank you. ❤️🏒 #CFBEsqSupports pic.twitter.com/mF3hHFw3XH
The trio took part in a two-day festival, and on Saturday hosted the Support Our Troops broadcast of the game between the Montreal Canadiens and Florida Panthers.
Throughout the event, fans could play with hockey players using virtual technology, or watch world-renowned hockey acrobat, Paz, juggling pucks and flaming hockey sticks from the top of a hockey net.
“The event was a huge success. While it was first and foremost about hockey, there was an incredible amount of support and appreciation expressed for the Canadian Armed Forces in the community which was very humbling,” said Capt. Jason Boyd, base commander at CFB Esquimalt.
READ MORE: Hometown Hockey heads to CFB Esquimalt
While Boyd thought the whole event was fun, there were some personal highlights for him.
“Meeting Don Cherry up close and personal was certainly a lifetime dream,” Boyd said. “I also had the opportunity to play a little shinny with Ron MacLean, which is certainly something I’ll never forget. But, ultimately, the best part of the weekend was just seeing so many thousands of people having a good time.”
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