By Andy Loigu

The high school sports seasons have wound down, summer is here, and folks are heading for the beach.

So, how about some ice hockey? The Stanley Cup finals are still going on as I write this, and the Rangers came close to getting there this year.

Reminds me of a summer day when I was on a trip to Montreal in 1974.

I stopped for gas and the attendant noticed my Jersey plates. With an accent, he asked, “Are you fan of Rangers?”

Even though I do like the Rangers and did not approve of the Flyers’ “Broad Street Bullies” method of play in those days, I could not resist an opportunity to brag and replied, “I’m a fan of the Stanley Cup champion Philadelphia Flyers.”

The guy got so mad the veins were bulging in his neck and his face was red and he was shouting “FLYERS? FLYERS?”

Out of fear for my safety I sped off and got gas at the next station, which fortunately seemed to be hockey neutral.

I did attend some Flyers’ Sunday home games with a media pass and enjoyed the championship parade down Broad Street. Even though I did not approve of the way they won (how do you lead the league in penalty minutes and still win the Cup?) I was happy that after some dreadful years in pro sports, Philadelphia had something to celebrate.

A trivia thing about the 1974 Philadelphia Flyers, they are the last Stanley Cup winner that had a roster entirely made up of Canadians. However, that gas attendant probably did not know that.

Had the Devils come to Jersey in 1962 instead of 1982, I’d have probably grown into a big Devils fan and would have had a few Cup championships to celebrate. Who knew? I also was happy about the Rangers’ 1994 title. I’m not a “hater,” just a journalist with a sense of objectivity who understands what a championship does to lift the spirits of an entire city.

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Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building.