'Won’t open them until we win': Flames fan hopes to pop Champagne bottles meant for '04 Stanley Cup run
It was almost exactly 18 years ago when Calgary Flames fan Shane Byciuk managed to sneak two bottles of Champagne into the Saddledome for Game 6 of the 2004 Stanley Cup finals.
He had hoped to pop them if the Flames hoisted the Cup that evening, but those same bottles still remain in his fridge to this day.
“I won’t open them until we win the Stanley Cup and hopefully it’s this year,” Byciuk said.
“I still remember that night, we brought those mini bottles fully expecting to crack them. I cracked off the top of the bottles when the game went into overtime just waiting for that goal, but it never came.”
June 4, 2004 is a night many Flames fans will never forget thanks to a controversial call on a play where it appeared the Calgary forward Martin Gelinas was able to sneak the puck past the goal-line.
That goal was called off by the referee, much to the dismay of Calgary fans who watched as their team lost that game and fell in a devastating Game 7 to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
“Everybody thought it was in,” said Byciuk.
“You know, that’s like a huge circumstance and when that goal was called back, everybody was disheartened, it was just complete silence and anger, right? Even to this day, people are still saying that that goal was in.”
Byciuk says the 2004 playoff run was one of the most exciting memories he has of the team he’s been cheering for his entire life.
Fast-forward to 2022 and the Battle of Alberta has now amplified that excitement in the hopes that those Champagne bottles can get one step closer to being opened with a victory in this playoff series.
“If we don’t win, they're going back into my beer fridge, but I can’t wait to open them up,” said Byciuk.
“I don't know what the Champagne would taste like after all those years and I wouldn't want to find out. I won’t drink it, but I’ll spray it outdoors if they win the Cup or maybe on some Oiler fans,” he joked.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Robert Pickton stabbed with toothbrush and broken broom handle: victim's family
The family of one of Robert Pickton's victims says the convicted serial killer suffered an incredibly violent death at the hands of another inmate.
'It feels like freedom': Why some Albertans like going nude in nature
Few people can say they accidentally purchased a nude beach — but Shelley can. When she saw a piece of land she could fondly remember camping on was up for sale, she inquired about it and ended up purchasing it. She soon found that there were already inhabitants on it.
Father who killed one-year-old son with axe may be allowed to travel in southwestern Ontario
A Mennonite father who killed his one-year-old son with an axe may be allowed to travel to parts of southern Ontario in the coming months
Daughter of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt files court petition to remove father's last name
A daughter of actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt filed paperwork to legally remove "Pitt" from her name on the day she turned 18.
Trudeau endorses proposal outlined by Biden to wind down Israel-Hamas war
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is endorsing a proposal put forward by U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday that seeks to bring about the end of the Israel-Hamas war.
Jennifer Lopez cancels summer tour: 'I am completely heartsick and devastated'
Jennifer Lopez has cancelled her 2024 North American tour, representatives for Live Nation confirmed to The Associated Press.
Is intermittent fasting better than counting calories? Maybe not, but you might stick with it
As weight-loss plans go, it's easy to see the allure of intermittent fasting: Eat what you want, but only during certain windows of time — often just eight hours a day.
Tick season is underway in Ontario. Here's how to protect yourself
Tick season is well underway and there is a new species of ticks causing new diseases, which is why you need to take steps to protect yourself.
Republicans join Trump's attacks on justice system and campaign of vengeance after guilty verdict
Embracing Donald Trump's strategy of blaming the U.S. justice system after his historic guilty verdict, Republicans in Congress are fervently enlisting themselves in his campaign of vengeance and political retribution in the GOP bid to reclaim the White House.