Hockeyville fever hits O'Leary as NHL stars arrive on P.E.I.
Cody MacKay | CBC News | Posted: September 24, 2017 4:42 PM | Last Updated: September 24, 2017
Festivities take place this weekend leading up to an NHL game in Summerside on Monday
Ottawa Senators or the New Jersey Devils: pick your team, P.E.I.
After months of preparation, planning and dreaming, Hockeyville weekend is underway O'Leary, P.E.I., drawing many Islanders to the festivities taking place around the Community Sports Centre.
The Ottawa Senators arrived at the Charlottetown Airport Sunday morning. The New Jersey Devils are set to arrive sometime Sunday afternoon.
But in the community of O'Leary, in addition to the chance to see NHL stars, there are also potato costumes, bouncy castles, barbecuing and all-day live music.
"Everybody is excited, kids are just bouncing. It's like Christmas for them," says Della Sweet, a member of the organizing committee for Hockeyville.
"Monday with that game and everything in hand, it's just going to be wild. Someone back in April described it as electric, you can feel that again."
Parking lots are filling up as people flock to the field beside the O'Leary rink.
The UPEI women's hockey team is playing an exhibition game against Saint Thomas University, while also hosting a hockey clinic at the rink for atom and peewee children.
Players from the Charlottetown Islanders major-junior hockey team showed up to help kids take part in a skills competition.
"It's really exciting. I think it's great for the community, it will bring them closer and grow the game of hockey in O'Leary," said Islanders goalie Matthew Welsh.
"It's a small community. Everyone knows everyone around here. When you have events like this it brings people much closer," said Islanders right-winger Matthew Grouchy.
Both Welsh and Grouchy will have the chance to see their teammate Filip Chlapík suit up for the Ottawa Senators tomorrow night.
"We dream of getting to that level [NHL] at one point," said Grouchy.
Jacie-Lynn Rayner, 7, has spent the day smiling ear to ear.
After spending 8 weeks in the IWK Health Centre, she's looking forward to Monday's NHL game. Her tickets for the game were donated to the IWK by Janice Costello who won them in a draw.
Devils fans are showing their true colours, dressing up their homes, and themselves, in New Jersey gear.
Former NHL player Colin White visited O'Leary on Saturday.
The New Glasgow, N.S., native and Stanley Cup champion played 11 seasons with the Devils and one with the San Jose Sharks.
Other NHL alumni are set to make an appearance as well. Summerside native and former NHL coach Doug MacLean will be there as well as former Ottawa Senator Pascal Leclaire.
Residents of O'Leary are setting up their homes and lawns, expressing Hockeyville pride.
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