Canucks’ fans get up close to their heroes
Fresh off a fantastic hockey season themselves, sisters Lily and Marin Carlos were thrilled to score their favourite Vancouver Canucks autographs Saturday morning at a fan appreciation event outside Rogers Arena.
The two girls, who play for the Powell River Pit Bulls, met Henrik and Daniel Sedin, as well as almost a dozen other players, making the long trip to Vancouver worth the effort.
Ten-year-old Lily said she was excited to see the Sedins “up close,” while Marin, 8, was hoping for Jake Virtanen’s autograph.
With their parents and younger brother, the sisters also planned to take in their first NHL hockey game on Saturday afternoon, a special family game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
“We’re big fans,” said dad Chris Carlos. The Canucks players signed dozens of sweaters, hats and posters as happy fans snapped photos. Several times the cheer “one more year” broke out, presumably in reference to the will-they-stay or will-theygo drama surrounding the Sedins’ future with the Canucks.
Brothers Zachary and Harrison Kobus were excited to get the Sedins’ autographs.
“It was awesome,” said Harrison, 9. “He signed it and said, ‘No problem.’”
Enjoying the chance to see the players for the first time, Sahan Hettiarachchi and Ethan Fernando said they were looking forward to watching the team develop over the next few years.
Seven-year-old super fan Grayson Pontellini got the shock of his life when his parents told him en route to the arena that he’d be seeing his favourite players.
He was in the front row with Canucks temporary tattoos on both cheeks as his family, including his younger sisters Isabella, 5, and Natalya, 2, hung out toward the back. All three kids were wearing sweaters.
The “big hockey family” drove from Kamloops for the event, said mom Samantha Pontellini. “It’s a lot of fun to be here.”