The Moncton Wildcats received a hero’s welcome arriving home by plane from Rimouski, Que., on Monday night — just hours after winning the Gilles-Courteau trophy.
The Wildcats topped the Rimouski Océanic 3-2, marking the first time the team has won the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) title since 2010.
Superfan Jailynn Gillcash was among the crowd standing outside the airport, and said she had been waiting all 15 years of her young life to enjoy this championship moment.
“I had tears rolling down my face. I was really excited. I waited my whole life, everything they’ve accomplished this year it’s just so amazing,” she said.
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Adam Lund, the co-host of the Wildcast — a podcast covering the team for the past eight seasons — said watching Game 6 against the Océanic in Rimouski was an emotional rollercoaster. The Wildcats had lost the previous two games, including Game 5 at home on Saturday night at the Avenir Centre.
“Relief, excitement, all of the emotions,” he said, while describing the feeling in the Rimouski arena.
“To be in the building last night was unbelievable. It would have been much cooler to do it at home in front of all the fans but to go up there and do it and close out a series against Rimouski, which is a very tough team. It was a lot of relief.”
Lund will be bringing his four-month old daughter to watch the Wildcats compete for the Memorial Cup, beginning Saturday, back in Rimouski.
“It’s an exciting time to be in this city and now they’re getting ready for the tournament, the Memorial Cup. It’s going to be a fun ride but a quick ride,” he said.
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