Hundreds of elated fans drenched in Grizzly paraphernalia lined the parade route on 3500 South. And even more gathered to honor their hockey heroes at the future site of the West Valley Events Center Monday night.
They cheered, waved signs and mobbed players for autographs for several hours in a victory party to celebrate with their champions, the Utah Grizzlies.The fans and players alike were still in a state of exhilaration from Saturday night when the Grizzlies defeated the Orlando Solar Bears 3-2 in overtime to clinch their second straight Turner Cup championship.
"Gord Dineen for president!" yelled one exuberant fan. Another held a sign that read, "The Great Wall of Salo" in reference to the incredible goaltending performance by Turner Cup playoff MVP Tommy Salo. Others chanted for a speech from Andy Brickley, who courageously played through most of the playoffs with an injured left knee and an ailing back.
"You guys have no idea how much this means to us," forward Mike MacWilliam, a fan favorite, told the crowd after the parade.
Though MacWilliam was speaking in behalf of his teammates, he could have also been speaking for the fans, for they obviously had the exact sentiment toward the Grizzlies.
After all, the Grizzlies brought hockey back to the Beehive State after fans were forced to endure a season without it when the Salt Lake Golden Eagles flocked to Michigan at the end of the 1993-94 season. The fact that it happened to be Butch Goring-coached championship hockey was just an added bonus.
"It was worth it," said a former Golden Eagle fan who is now a Grizzlies season ticket holder. Then his wife quickly added: "Fans appreciated hockey a lot more once they realized what they had lost."
The 17,381 fans at the Delta Center for Game 4 of the Turner Cup Finals on Saturday was perhaps proof of that. And that was just one of several attendance records that were broken throughout the Grizz's first campaign in Utah. That kind of support encouraged the Grizzlies after they had been forced to leave Denver after an incredible first season in 1994-95.
"You made us feel at home here," said Dineen, the team captain who anchored the Grizz defense on both championship teams. "You became not only our fans, but our friends also."
And it was a pleasant surprise for a few former Golden Eagles - Utah assistant coach Kevin Cheveldayoff and center Chris Taylor.
"We were here before with the Golden Eagles, and it was a pretty rough ride," said Taylor of both the support and Salt Lake's league-low record in the final season. "We were scared because we didn't know if anybody would come back to watch us. But we were thrilled with the support."
"We grew up with the Eagles. They had a 25-year tradition," added another lifetime hockey fan. "But this was one of the best teams to see. They never stopped working and never gave up."
The players and coaches also took some time to reminisce on the season that had just finished in dramatic style.
"We had a lot of tough times this season, but we never did quit," added Dineen. "We probably had some doubters, and sometimes we even doubted ourselves. There was one constant with the team and that was Butch Goring. He always believed in the team he put together."