Poor Stanley
As the battle for the Stanley Cup continues on the ice, one man with his pristine white gloves takes on a sometimes more challenging goal — keeping it close and safe.
Université Laval student Félix La Rue lent a hand Wednesday afternoon to help the hockey trophy meet its busy social calendar amid a host of problems.
First, a delay at the airport when the guardian of the Cup discovered that his precious cargo didn’t follow him from Chicago, La Rue told the Star.
Then, the Cup’s protector, Mike Bolt, had to put his faith in a random motorist in Québec City when the limousine carrying the hockey trophy slid off the road during a snowstorm and busted a tire.
La Rue, who helped organize the event that brought the Cup to Québec City, was in the limo.
“The Cup was safe inside a case,” the 23-year-old said.
Since it was too big to fit in a cab, Bolt hailed down an incredulous motorist and crammed himself and the 35-pound trophy next to a car seat into the back of the van. La Rue sat in the front seat next to the excited driver.
It was already a race against the clock to get to the event with Hockey Hall of Famer Luc Robitaille but there was one more bump in the road for Bolt — he forgot his keys in the limo.
Despite a snowstorm that dropped 20 centimetres on the city Wednesday, Bolt recovered his keys, made it to the event and left in time catch his flight to Montreal for the Cup’s next viewing.
La Rue was happy to report to Quebec's Le Soleil that his help during the Cup’s tumultuous day paid off — he got to lay his hands on the Cup and has a picture to prove it.
http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/article/978446--stanley-goes-for-a-wild-ride-in-quebec
