Joey Dipenta Day Tomorrow in Cole Hbr. Nova Scotia

[LadyEye]

Game One - Anaheim Ducks vs the Ottawa Senators



Hee hee hee ....... Go Ottawa Go ...

We will welcome Governor Anrold Schwarzenegger as he meets Prime Minister Steven Harper and look forward to the acceptance of his gift of the Anaheim Jersey and a few good games of hockey (perhaps only 4 or 5, hee hee) and we will bring the cup home!!

[LadyEye]

Re: Game on MY California Hockey Friends!! Go Ottawa Go!

Congratulations Ducks!! NHL Stanley Cup Champions 2007




Special mention to "All" of the Canadian Players on this team, there are plenty ...

And Joey Dipenta


Defenseman and local player in our Cole Harbour BelyAyr Minor Hockey Association in Nova Scotia!!

[bill2006]

Re: Game on MY California Hockey Friends!! Go Ottawa Go!

A good season and good games.

[LadyEye]

Re: Game on MY California Hockey Friends!! Go Ottawa Go!

I agree Bill ... glad you "chimed in" was beginning to think I was talking to myself, lol ... (and we know I can do that, lol)

Have a look at this, this is too cool ........... I hope I am able to make the "event"!!

Living a dream

When Barry and Judy DiPenta of ColeHarbour booked their flight to Anaheim, they arranged for their return flight to take them to Ottawa. On Thursday morning, the couple spent an hour-and-a-half on the phone changing that return flight. With the Anaheim Ducks, and their son Joe, finishing off the Senators 6-2 in Anaheim on Wednesday night, there was no need for the couple to go back to Ottawa.
"It was really special to have my mom and dad and my wife at the game and know that all the people at home were watching," said the Ducks’ defenceman. "I can’t wait to bring the Cup home to ColeHarbour and have a big party with it."

Joe DiPenta, in only his second full NHL season, achieved the elusive goal that every hockey player dreams of — he won the Stanley Cup. But he hasn’t really had a chance for it to sink in yet.
"It happened so fast, and you just can’t believe it," said DiPenta in a telephone interview from his home in the Anaheim area. "It’s just amazing to skate around the ice, hoist the Cup and kiss it. I dreamed about it, but I never thought I’d actually get to do it.


"It’s such a hard thing, such a lucky thing to do. I’m kind of in shock."
While Joe DiPenta was happy to win the Cup, he was even happier to play and contribute to that victory. He almost didn’t have that chance.
He had played in every game during the playoffs until defensive teammate Chris Pronger returned from his first suspension. Ric Jackman stepped in for Pronger for that one game suspension and scored a goal earning him a roster spot and bumping DiPenta to the bench.
"I knew I wasn’t going to get back in there as long as we were winning," said the former Halifax Moosehead. "I was thinking how great it would be to win, but obviously I would want to play in the final game, and I wasn’t sure that I would get that chance."
He got that chance when Pronger earned his second suspension of the playoffs and had to sit out Game 4 of the final in Ottawa. That got DiPenta back in the line-up, where he felt he played one of the best games of his career, giving him an opportunity to play in the clinching game.
"That was my dream," said DiPenta.
As the game clock ticked down to zero Wednesday and DiPenta’s dream was being realized, his parents looked on, elated, from the seats of Anaheim’s Honda Center.
"I started to cry," said Judy DiPenta. "I was sobbing."
She and her husband got a chance to celebrate on the ice with the team shortly after the victory.
"We got to hug all the sweaty players, it was amazing," she said. "We got to go in the dressing room with the champagne flying."
She said she avoided the attempts to pour champagne on her, but she did get sprayed a few times.
"We’re all so happy for him, and we know he can’t wait to get back to ColeHarbour with the Cup and show it off to all his friends and family."
The 28-year-old defenceman is not sure when he’ll get a chance to bring the Cup home, except that it probably won’t be until July or August. He’s also not sure what exactly he’s going to do with the Cup when he’s here, but there is one thing he’d like to do.
"I was talking to (Jean-Sebastien Giguere) after the game and said to him, ‘When I get the Cup in ColeHarbour, you’ll have to come down for it.’
"I want to get a picture from the Dartmouth waterfront, with the skyline of Halifax in the background and the two of us with the Cup. Maybe give it to the Mooseheads. They could put it up in their office or something. I think that’d be kind of neat."
The six-foot-two defenceman is set to become a free agent on July 1, and he’s not sure what to expect. He said he hasn’t talked to his agent about any possibilities yet, but he said he would like to stay in Anaheim.
"I’d love to be back with the Ducks, and if I had the opportunity to come back, it’d be pretty hard not to."
Citing the area’s "fantastic" weather and his experiences with the Ducks as two main reasons, Joey DiPenta said, "even if I had an opportunity somewhere else with a longer contract, if I had a chance to come back here, it’d be really hard not to.
"The management here really gave me my first shot. I love my wife and we live in Southern California. It’d be pretty hard to go somewhere else."
The third reason he cited for wanting to stay in Southern California was the total off-ice privacy that is afforded to hockey players. But, with growing season ticket sales and the Stanley Cup victory, that may change.
"It’s turning into a hockey community and it’s a fun place to play for sure."

http://www.herald.ns.ca/Sports/840240.html

[LadyEye]

Tomorrow is the Day!! Joey Dipenta Day!!

My Home town!! Woo hoo and wee hee ...

DiPenta to share Stanley Cup glory
Ducks defenceman from Cole Harbour taking trophy on hometown tour tomorrow - Thursday, August 9, 2007

Shortly after Joe DiPenta won the Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in June, the Cole Harbour native's thoughts began to turn to another jubilant event.

He would get one day with Lord Stanley, and he could spend it his way.

Tomorrow, DiPenta will bring the Stanley Cup home to Cole Harbour for a parade. Some folks may not realize the time, effort, even stress that is associated with those 24 hours.

"It's pretty surreal to think the Cup's coming here for a full day, and it's under my control," DiPenta said. "There's a stress level, because you want to share it as much as you can and make the most of the day, but you want to enjoy yourself, as well."

DiPenta has certainly enjoyed his summer thus far, spending a week in the Cayman Islands with his wife, and also visiting his in-laws in Philadelphia.

A parade is planned for the Cup in the afternoon. The rearguard also plans to visit the IWK children's hospital and his grandmother's retirement home.

"Those two things were really important to me," he said. "I think the kids will think the world of it, getting to see the Stanley Cup. That will be a great part of my day."

The former Halifax Moosehead received some advice on how to seize the day from fellow Ducks teammates with championship experience under their belt.

Scott Niedermayer suggested he have pre-autographed photos to avoid the rush, and to not attempt too many stops that will add pressure to the festivities.

The Cup is making its way from Russia, after Anaheim backup goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov enjoys his day with the mug.

It will arrive in Halifax late this evening, meaning DiPenta will have a pretty fancy option for a cereal bowl when he wakes up.

"I just worry that something will happen, the flight will get delayed and the Cup won't show up on time," DiPenta said. "That's probably the worst-case scenario. As for the day, I feel a responsibility to let as many people see it as possible, but there's only so much you can do."

The Cup could have made its way to Cole Harbour earlier. With a pecking order determining which Duck gets the Cup when, DiPenta's options were Canada Day or tomorrow. He was out of town during the week of Canada Day, so picked tomorrow for his big day.

"It would've been nice to have the Cup here for Canada Day, but it might've gotten caught up in all the rush," DiPenta said.

In honour of the event, Mayor Peter Kelly issued a statement on behalf of Halifax Regional Council yesterday, proclaiming tomorrow Joe DiPenta Day.