BRAMPTON BEAST FAN FEST

THE BEAST IS ON THE LOOSE!

By: Fridae Mattas

Last Friday, October 11th 2013 I trekked it to the Powerade Centre in Brampton, Ontario just thirty minutes from Downtown Toronto. The reason for my journey was to cover a new professional Hockey team at Brampton’s Powerade Centre. A colleague told me about this event called “Brampton Beast Fan Fest”, why not hit it up? Sixty-five percent of FridaeTV fans are men and we all know you boys love sports. Hockey is simple to understand and is one of the first sports you are introduced to as a Canadian kid. I remember many times playing street hockey with the boys and attempting to play ice hockey on my brother’s friends’ homemade backyard rink. Turns out my preferance lays with summer sports because I can’t skate to save my life and I don’t like the cold! My brother on the other hand played hockey as a kid like pretty much every Canadian male growing up. As the eldest sister I went to the games and helped lace up his skates tight enough…Luckily I learned how to lace skates on school field trips to the community rink.Brampton’s Mayor Susan Fennell was in attendance, she is a pretty amazing Woman! I had no idea how close hockey was to her heart until I found out she was one of the founders of the Nation Womens Hockey League (WNHL). Bringing a professional hockey team to her city made perfect sense. Mayor Fennell said a few words prior to introducing the team after Boomer the mascot made his on ice debut. The team played a little game against eachother “The Black VS The White”, I assume the Black team were the guests on the scoreboard because they were killing it and ended up winning the little scrimmage. They chose some pretty slick players to be on their roster including Brampton’s own Jason Pitton who was number 14 on the Black team and a NY Islander draft pick in 2004. A few other stand out players I noticed on the Black team were #12: Left Wing – Andrew Fournier, #6: Left Defense – Jamie VanderVeeken, #8: Right Wing – Brett Vandehogen, #11: Centre – Brett Smith and #9: Right Wing – Tylor Michel. On the White team the players whom I thought were seriously skilled were; #5: Left Defense – Mike MacIntyre, #13: Left Wing – Josh McQuade, #11: Centre – Matt Caruana and #9: Right Wing – Rob Collins. The teams coaches are Mark DeSantis – Head Coach and Brent Hughes as Assistant coach, major props to all the Goaltenders but I still don’t know who is who, the three that played are: Kris Westblom, Grant Rollheiser, Peter Di Salvo.The Tomboy within was loving every minute of this event once I got to the right side of the arena! “Laughs” I walked in on kids practicing and everyone just stared at me, as I looked around I noticed two ice rinks making it quite clear I was at the wrong end of the Powerade Centre…So I walked back outside and around where I found a giant Brampton Beast blow up and a door with media entrance on it. Tada!Made it just on time and so glad they let me wander the arena! Who knew Brampton had a sports hall of fame? You know now! The Beast have some pretty cool affiliates like the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lighting, Canada’s own Hockey Legend Steve Yzerman and GM of The Lightning announced their affiliation in August along with the Syracuse Crunch. The teams name was chosen by residents of Brampton after a contest was held to name the team. All of this has to do with Mayor Fennell’s love for the game and she is doing a phoenominal job getting things done for her city…Can’t say the same for Toronto’s Mayor…The Beast is the only Canadian team in the Central Hockey League (CHL) which is absoluty amazing and will be playing the first of three games against the Arizona Sundogs tomorrow Friday October 18th. Single game tickets range between $13 to $28, to purchase your tickets click here!Once the game wrapped a few players came out to meet and greet the fans, sign some autographs and take a few photos. The fans enjoyed their time meeting the new team and the players seemed to enjoy time with the fans.Thanks to Bonnie and the fabulous people I met (Ladies gracias, the training camp creep sheet was very helpful.) I plan on checking out a game soon and do an little interview with a few of the players. Possibly the October 21st game where legendary Hockey Hall of Fame Goalie Johnny Bower will be dropping the puck for that game. Mr. Bower is probaby the only former Toronto Maple Leaf alive that can say he’s won four Stanley Cups as a Leaf.

A great time was had by all including myself and one of the DJ’s who was jamming out by herself in a corner…Canada, this is your chance to see more professional hockey, come out to the Powerade Centre and support your new team The Brampton Beast!