CALGARY- Harvey the Hound has redeemed himself in a big way.
Back in December, the Calgary Flames mascot was supposed to show up in Black Diamond, where the minor hockey team was playing High River in a tournament set up to help June flood victims. But Harvey was a no show.
“They kept asking why. Why isn’t Harvey here?” remembers Zamboni driver Kendra Kelly, of how the disappointed youngsters reacted.
When Flames president Ken King heard about the scheduling mix-up, he knew something had to be done. And with that, project ‘Harvey’s Redemption’ was underway.
In a video posted to YouTube on Monday, the Calgary Flames showed how they made it up to the kids. It all started with Harvey the Hound and Farley the Fox making a surprise appearance at the next game between Black Diamond and High River, and after the game they handed out invites to the kids for a ‘Big League Experience.’
The delighted players were driven to the Saddledome, where they found custom-made Flames jerseys hanging in the dressing room stalls. The excited shrieks grew even louder when Captain Mark Giordano and rookie Sean Monahan showed up with signed hats, and gave the kids a pep talk before they headed out onto the ice to face off.
The game was a full NHL experience, complete with a national anthem, an announcer over the PA system and scoreboard. Flames coaches Bob Hartley and Martin Gelinas even continued their bench boss roles, showing up to help inspire the teams.
By the way, the game ended in an 11-11 tie, and the kids were thrilled about their NHL debut.
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