I really don’t care about hockey, but I’m a sucker for the neighbourhood hype. I figure, anything that gives grown men an excuse to scream and hug each other is ok by me.

It was supposed to be Hockey Night at the Appias, but next-apt-door neighbor Sean and I couldn’t resist the tug of the Drive, so we went to the Belgian Fries to watch the game. After we had fries and the hometeam tied it up with 14 seconds left in the 3rd period, we went over to Café Abruzzo to watch the overtime. Abruzzo of course is a soccer place, but they have a big nice tv, and by the time the 2nd overtime period started most of the seats were full. We ordered cappuccinos. Pattipow arrived, and then Lisa Love, complaining that her stomach was sore from the tension and she couldn’t stand watching the game on her computer at Turks any more.

So we writhed and groaned and cheered, and then that sneaky goal came at last, and it was all over – the Canucks won the game, and the series, and were on to the Finals.

Mass shout of victory, all hands in the air! Men of all ages and origins, grinning like fools, high-fives all around the bar. A brown guy dancing about with a thumb-sized Stanley Cup held above his head. Backslaps, hugs, congratulations. We did it! Woooooooo!

I really don’t care at all about hockey. But damn, I love my team.

(photo pilfered from Jesse Winter’s Flikr stream)