Kenya Ice Lions captain Bernard Azegere says it was “a moment to live to remember” when he and his teammates – members of Kenya’s only ice hockey team – watched NHL stars Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon walk into their dressing room and join their team for a friendly against a local rec team.
Tim Hortons brought the Ice Lions to Canada to play in their first game against Mercer Hawks, a recreational team, after videos of their practices in Kenya were posted to YouTube and went viral. But the visiting team had a problem: They were missing a goalie.
“Our expectation wasn’t that Sidney would walk in,” Azegere told CTV News Channel on Thursday. “We thought it would be college students.”
So they were shocked when Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and Colorado Avalanche captain Nathan MacKinnon strolled into their dressing room, wearing the Ice Lions’ green hockey jersey and ready to hit the ice.
“It was an amazing moment,” Azegere said. “We didn’t know what to say. We just thank the Tim Hortons guys for believing in us and offering us this opportunity to have the Canadian ice hockey experience.
Azegere said that Crosby and MacKinnon gave the Ice Lions tips and explained some drills to them before their game against a team made up of local firefighters.
He added that the experience has sparked “a hockey revolution” in his home country.
“At first they didn’t believe in us,” Azegere said. “But right now, everyone is rooting for us.”
With the help of donations, Azegere and his teammates are starting their own version of the Tim Hortons Timbits Hockey program back in Kenya in order to help nurture young talent. They hope that they’ll be able to grow the sport big enough to form an Olympic hockey team by the 2026 Winter Games.
“Anything can happen between now and 2026,” he said. “You never know.”
Azegere can’t wait until the day he can show off a special souvenir from his trip to Canada to his own kids – a Pittsburgh Penguins captain jersey signed by Crosby.
“To Ben, Great to share the ice with you. Your friend, Sidney,” it reads.
With a report from CTV News’ Bill Purchase
