Brett Appreciates Positive Feedback

The Memorial Cup has been about long waits for the Spokane Chiefs.

First there was the bidding process. Then there was a wait of 17 months until the first puck was dropped on Saturday. Finally, there was the nine-day tournament itself.

But the end is in sight, with two games remaining before the junior hockey champion is crowned.

“We’ve gotten very, very good feedback. I think everybody’s had a good time,” Chiefs owner Bobby Brett said. “I think everybody I know from the hockey fraternity has enjoyed their stay.”

He credited the Arena, Arena staff, his staff and a host of others for making the marathon event run so smoothly.

“It’s such a user-friendly building. … This building is second to none. Another thing is it’s so convenient to downtown, you can walk here. It helped us hosting the Western Hockey League All-Star game last season, but that was a four-day affair and this is an 11-day affair.

“To have something come across right, in the way you want it, it’s a lot of work. … From what we’ve heard from everybody, it’s been as smooth a Memorial Cup as there has ever been.”

There is also the matter of the on-ice product. The host team receives an automatic entry, but the Chiefs didn’t go through the motions, they reached the Western Hockey League division finals.

“It’s really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you have to show off your team, your product, in your arena, in your town and I’m pretty proud of what we have here,” Brett said.

“It’s like having a party. You invite the people and you want to show them a good time. You want them to leave with the feeling of, ‘Geez, what a good show the city of Spokane and the Chiefs put on.’ … We want people to walk away feeling this was the best Memorial Cup.”

Fast French

Ann Brueggemeier was a vocal major at Whitworth College and part of studying classical music is singing in foreign languages.

“I know a little bit,” she said, “but most of the phrases I know are about love and flowers … because that’s what most French songs I learned are about.”

That, however, didn’t prepare her to sing the Canadian anthem in French, which is what the Chiefs asked their special projects coordinator to do.

The moment arrived last Saturday before the Chiefs played the Foreurs.

“I’ve never been that nervous,” Brueggemeier said.

However, she was so smooth the Quebec team’s players showed their appreciation during the song by tapping their sticks on the ice.

Parade day

Hockey fans looking to complete an entertainment doubleheader with tonight’s Lilac Torchlight Parade need to be careful where they park.

Those attending the 1 p.m. hockey game who park in lots A and B north of the Arena can leave their vehicles there and walk to the parade. Lots C, D and E east of the Arena will have to be vacated immediately after the game because they are used as a staging area for parade floats.

Ticket time

Sunday’s championship game is sold out, but 2,000 tickets remain for this afternoon’s semifinal.

That’s enough to ensure a Memorial Cup attendance record for an eight-game tournament. The previous record for eight games was 70,236 in Hamilton in 1990. Spokane will be around 73,000.

AIN’T THAT SPECIAL Special teams play is crucial, especially in playoff hockey:

Power plays Team PP PPG Pct Portland 18 5 27.8 Spokane 26 4 15.4 Guelph 20 3 15.0

Penalty killing Team SH GA Pct Spokane 25 4 84.0 Guelph 17 3 82.4 Portland 24 3 80.0

Portland and Guelph each have one short-handed goal.