Are the Kamloops Blazers breaking an unwritten hockey rule with their post-game celebration?
Do they respect the game? It’s been a controversial week in the WHL, giving Bruins radio colour man Jacob Besetbroer plenty to discuss.
By far the number one question thrown my way this week has been, ‘What did you think of the Kamloops Blazers victory celebration Saturday night?’
First let’s explain what that question is referencing.
After each win, the Blazers mimic the winning celebration from a 1994 NHL video game. The celebration consists of bending your knees slightly and pumping your stick up and down over your head like a weightlifter lifting a barbell.
I played this video game back in the day. The celebration was funny then and it’s funny now.
But it has no place in the actual game.
I get that things like this can bring a team closer together and that is something every team is always trying to improve, but the time and place for this is during practice and not after a league game.
Actions like this and planned celebrations after scoring show a lack of respect for your opponent and more importantly the game. When this video game came out, the Blazers were a great team in the midst of winning three Memorial Cups in four years.
Would those teams, teams that actually had something substantial to celebrate ever have considered doing something like this? Not a chance, because they respected the game.
There has also been a lot of discussion about how the referee in that game, Andy Thiessen, pushed Bruins forward Blair Wentworth up against the glass in an effort to settle down a late game altercation. I can only say that it looked bad.
The Bruins and Blazers have had some heated battles on the ice this year and I expect more this weekend.
The Bruins trail the Blazers, who hold down the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, by one point (with four games in hand).
The Canadian Cancer Society and the Bruins join forces Feb. 12 when the Bruins host the Kelowna Rockets to Fight Back Against Cancer.
Chilliwack Mayor Sharon Gaetz and other local notables will take a swing at cancer, or in this case a car with the word cancer painted on it. It’s symbolic, and many of those who have been touched by cancer would welcome the opportunity to ‘take a swing at cancer.’
Beginning at 4 p.m., the public will have the opportunity to take a swing for a minimum $5 donation.
Special $15 tickets are available at the Canadian Cancer Society Office (9136 Young Rd), with four dollars from each ticket going to the Canadian Cancer Society.
At the game, the 50/50, stick auction, haircuts, Johnston’s Meat raffle – will all be held in support of the Canadian Cancer Society.
Go online to www.chilliwackbruins.com and follow the Fight Back link to donate. Feb. 12th is also Hockey Day in Canada and it’s game day in Chilliwack, so here is your opportunity to support your Bruins and to help Fight Back against this terrible disease.
jb@chilliwackbruins.com