Don and Mary Semeniuk were planning to go out of town for a baptism this weekend — but not anymore.
“I’m in shock. My mind is just swirling. I never win anything,” Don said while grocery shopping with Mary at the Safeway in the Bonnie Doon area, where the couple received the surprise of a lifetime.
The pair have been Edmonton Oilers fans since the heyday of the 1980s, and on Thursday morning met some of that era’s biggest names — who gave the seniors a chance to see this era’s top players.
Oilers legends Kelly Buchberger, Kevin Lowe and Charlie Huddy — teammates on the 1990 Stanley Cup-winning team — were at the grocery store, surprising unsuspecting shoppers with pairs of playoff tickets for Game 2, in addition to Oilers swag and Safeway gift cards.
Tickets for the Stanley Cup final game on Friday start at around $1,000 and only go up from there — putting them out of reach for many fans.
“I’ve been to one of this year’s playoffs, and I’ve been to others in the past. But my season’s tickets are really with the Elks – not so much the Oilers because of the price,” Don said.
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It’s been 35 years since the Edmonton Oilers last won the Stanley Cup and over three decades since a Canadian team brought the trophy home.
Now, the couple is looking forward to joining the excitement of that drought ending in person — excitement they say transcends Edmonton and the sport of hockey.
“I’m so happy to see that Canada is pulling for us – even people in Calgary!” Don said. “This is huge right now and with Canada being so solidified right now, more patriotic and nationalistic, this game is a national game. So it’s even more than just a Stanley Cup game.”
In total, the Oilers alumni gave away three pairs of tickets, along with team swag and Safeway gift cards.
The Oilers defeated the Florida Panthers 4-3 in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final rematch on Wednesday night. Game 2 takes place Friday on home ice, before the teams travel to Sunrise, Florida for Games 3 and 4.
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