Fans of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan rally for their team
The Acadie-Bathurst Titan fans thrilled at their teams battle for the Memorial Cup
While the Acadie-Bathurst Titan are battling it out for the Memorial Cup, fans at home are cheering them on and preparing for what could be the homecoming of a lifetime.
Mick Knowles has never missed a hockey game since the team relocated to the small New Brunswick town 20 years ago.
"I go to every game that's here in town," he said. "When the song comes on … I'm the one that does the dance for that."
Knowles, who has a "go Titan go" sign on his front lawn, sits right behind the player's box at the 3,500 hundred seat arena. He said the team could go all the way.
"It's unreal," he said. "It looks really promising, it should be a really good series."
The Titan are the 2018 Quebec Major Junior League Champions. The team beat the Regina Pats 8-6 Sunday, and move on to face the Hamilton Bulldogs Tuesday night.
Greg Devereau remembers the first time the Titan won the President's Cup back in 1999. This year, he has a sign in his window and he decorated something else as well — his head.
"My wife, she traced the logo that you see on the front of the Titan jerseys, I'm bald, she actually traced it and coloured it."
He said the team has had its ups and downs over the years, but winning the Memorial Cup will put the Titan back on the map.
A community team
Bruce Scott has bought season tickets for the Titan every year since 1998. He has designated seats right across from the home team.
"I've been a Titan fan since they came here," he said.
For Scott through, the team's success holds a greater value for his community and what it represents. He said many people don't know how much Bathurst and its surrounding communities have to offer.
"When people do come here, they can't believe what we do have, like places to go and tourism," he said. "We have a big surrounding community that supports the Titan."
Scott said many people travelled to see the team play but he knows when they come home the welcome will be one to remember.
And as for Knowles, he has this advice for the team:
"Play hard and stay out of the penalty box and if you go to the penalty box take an opponent with you."