The childhood coach of Cole Harbour’s favourite son, Sidney Crosby, said he couldn’t be happier to see “Sid the Kid” raise the Stanley Cup for the second year in a row.
The Pittsburgh Penguins were able to bring home another championship when Patric Hornqvist scored with 1:35 left in Game 6, for a 2-0 win over the Nashville Predators.
“Last night was quite an impressive win in my books,” said Paul Mason, who coached Crosby between the ages of 10 and 13.
“A nail-biter to say the least, last night especially with the 90 seconds left. “
The win made the Penguins the first team in nearly two decades to repeat as champions while Crosby became just the third player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy in consecutive years as Stanley Cup MVP.
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Mason said that it was a beautiful run of games for Crosby, whose mother babysat Mason’s children when they were younger.
“He raised his game in the big games, which is impressive,” he said. “I think the other thing is the leadership that he has. Every player speaks volumes of his leadership on that team.”
Mason has been the man behind Crosby’s hockey school, which is put on every summer and is also integral to the homecoming parades that have had Crosby bring the Stanley Cup to his hometown.
“The first two times he decided to have community things, and we’ll see what happens if he wants to share it with the community again,” Mason said. “If he asks me, surely I would help again but it’s his choice about what he’d like to do with the cup.”
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While a parade may not be in the cards this year, Mason said he is proud of Crosby’s accomplishments.
“Knowing Sid and working with him through his hockey school and organizing the parade I’ve got to know him as a better person than he is a hockey player,” he said. ” But we love him for both.”
— With files from the Associated Press
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