Growing up a Vancouver Canucks fan, former Vernon resident Larry Mikalishen knows well the feeling of disappointment of his favourite National Hockey League team not winning a Stanley Cup.
It started in 1982, when the Canucks were swept in the final by the New York Islanders. Then came 1994, and a Game 7 loss to the Rangers in New York. And, of course, the Game 7 defeat at home to the Boston Bruins in 2011.
Fast forward 12 years. Mikalishen 香蕉视频直播� firmly ensconced in Las Vegas since the new millennium, and a seasons-ticket holder with the Vegas Golden Knights since Day 1 in 2017 香蕉视频直播� is in his seats Tuesday, June 13, in row 1 of the upper level of T-Mobile Arena that he considers 香蕉视频直播榯he best in the house,香蕉视频直播� between the two players香蕉视频直播� benches. The Golden Knights are leading the Florida Panthers 9-3 and are a minute away from winning the Stanley Cup in just their sixth year of operation.
You香蕉视频直播檇 think Mikalishen would be jumping up and down, and going nuts.
香蕉视频直播淚 was in a state of, maybe a bit of shock? It wasn香蕉视频直播檛 what I thought it was going to be,香蕉视频直播� said Mikalishen, 61, a 1979 Vernon Senior Secondary School graduate and former lighting technician who travelled the world with various rock bands before settling in Vegas 23 years ago. He is now regional general manager of 4Wall Entertainment, a full-service lighting, video, and rigging company servicing all facets of the entertainment industry.
香蕉视频直播淚 thought I香蕉视频直播檇 be leaping up and down, crying and cheering. Instead, I was just sitting there, thinking, 香蕉视频直播業 can香蕉视频直播檛 believe this just happened.香蕉视频直播� I was excited and I did cheer, but it was a different feeling than I thought was going to have.香蕉视频直播�
The euphoria for the Golden Knights fan set in later Tuesday evening. He couldn香蕉视频直播檛 sleep, repeating in his mind, 香蕉视频直播榁egas Golden Knights: Stanley Cup champions. Did this really just happen?香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淗onestly, it was probably more exciting yesterday (Wednesday) because the game Tuesday was so draining, so tense,香蕉视频直播� said Mikalishen. 香蕉视频直播淎fter years and years and years of disappointment, I got to see my team win the Stanley Cup.香蕉视频直播�
When Mikalishen arrived in the desert at the start of the 21st century, hockey, he said, was almost unheard of.
He香蕉视频直播檇 go to a local watering hole, trying to find the Stanley Cup playoffs on a TV somewhere. ANY television in the joint. But no. While he could watch women香蕉视频直播檚 college basketball and other NCAA sports to his heart香蕉视频直播檚 content, there was nary an NHL game to be seen.
That didn香蕉视频直播檛 really change until the nearby Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014, and then came rumblings that the first professional sports team to be based in Las Vegas would be an NHL franchise.
Mikalishen got in on the ground floor thanks to connections with the hockey team he still skates for in Sin City.
香蕉视频直播淚 was among the first 50 people for season tickets,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淭he ticket drive was run by MGM and a guy on my hockey team (which includes Canadian Football League Hall of Fame receiver Ray Elgaard of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, and the former all-time penalty minutes leader with the Pittsburgh Penguins when he left the team in 1990, Rod Buskas), his wife was heading up the drive for season tickets.
香蕉视频直播淚 put a $600 deposit down even before knowing the team was going to be awarded.香蕉视频直播�
Mikalishen originally signed a five-year contract for his seats, then re-upped for another three years at the end of last season. In the team香蕉视频直播檚 first six years, he has attended all but a handful of regular-season and playoff games.
香蕉视频直播淭he first season was amazing,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淭here were a lot of bandwagon fans who are heavily intense hockey fans. People want to grow and evolve the sport, and we welcome the band-wagoners. Go see the Vegas Golden Knights. You香蕉视频直播檒l be a fan.
香蕉视频直播淚n Year 1 there were so many people who didn香蕉视频直播檛 know what offside was. Now, they know the rule book inside and out.
香蕉视频直播淢ost of the players, I香蕉视频直播檇 never heard of and I香蕉视频直播檓 a hockey fan.香蕉视频直播�
Mikalishen recalls the team香蕉视频直播檚 first-ever regular-season home game. It came weeks after a mass shooting Oct. 1, 2017 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino that resulted in 58 deaths. Mikalishen had been at an exhibition game at T-Mobile that night. He missed the massacre by five minutes as he drove home past the resort following a boost to his Jeep battery, which wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 start.
香蕉视频直播淭he team and the city rallied together with the shootings as one,香蕉视频直播� said Mikalishen. 香蕉视频直播淚t was the first time since I lived in Vegas that it felt like a community. The Knights were more than just a hockey team. They were part of the healing process of the city, they brought everybody together.香蕉视频直播�
The inaugural season saw the Knights go all the way to the Stanley Cup final with 香蕉视频直播渁 bunch of misfits,香蕉视频直播� a nickname bestowed upon them by the media. They would lose in five games to the Washington Capitals.
On June 13, when they won the Cup, nine original Golden Knights were still with the team, much to Mikalishen香蕉视频直播檚 delight. His favourite player is misfit William Karlsson.
香蕉视频直播淭he team usually starts the fourth line, and when they announced 香蕉视频直播榮tarting on wing, Riley Smith,香蕉视频直播� I thought, 香蕉视频直播極h, they香蕉视频直播檙e starting Karlsson香蕉视频直播檚 line,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈 said Mikalishen. 香蕉视频直播淭hen they announced Karlsson. And Jonathan Marchessault. And then I realized they were starting the original misfits, with Shay Theodore and Brayden McNabb on defence. That was the most moving thing about Game 5. It got you right in the heart.
香蕉视频直播淭hose players worked year-after-year for the team. To see them hoist the Cup was really something.香蕉视频直播�
Mikalishen will watch the Golden Knights celebrate one more time with the team香蕉视频直播檚 victory parade Saturday. Then, in true, season-ticket-holder-fan fashion, he said he香蕉视频直播檒l 香蕉视频直播渄rop a couple of thousand dollars香蕉视频直播� on Knights香蕉视频直播� Stanley Cup swag and gear.
香蕉视频直播淵ou know, stuff I香蕉视频直播檒l never wear but have to have,香蕉视频直播� he laughed.
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
Like us on and follow us on .
