NHL player Carter Rowney brings Stanley Cup home to Alberta town

About 2,000 people turned out in a northwestern Alberta town on the weekend to cheer a Stanley Cup champion.

Pittsburgh Penguins‘ forward Carter Rowney was in Sexsmith Sunday, where he carried the famous cup during a parade in his honour.

“It’s been pretty crazy, it’s pretty surreal,” Rowney said to CJXX.

“That welcoming I got when I got off the bus, that’s cool. And that makes it more special, and I’m just going to cherish it.”

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Rowney was also presented with the key to the town, posed for countless pictures with fans and signed autographs by the score.

The 28-year-old player helped Pittsburgh beat the Nashville Predators in last month’s Stanley Cup final. Rowney was signed to a two-year deal with the Penguins last spring.

READ MORE: Pittsburgh Penguins win second straight Stanley Cup with 2-0 win over Predators

Sexsmith is about 450 kilometres northwest of Edmonton, near Grande Prairie.

— With files from Trevor Snell, CJXX