This immature behaviour started in the Eastern US back 5-6 years ago when they booed the Canadian Anthem.

I think it was an Islander's/Senator's game.

EDIT:

Found it.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/ins...dolie_insider/

 

My fault.

I thought it was in Edmonton. Still.

It also reminds me of the time when the U.S. soccer team was playing Mexico in Azteca Stadium, and some of the Mexican fans were chanting "osama, osama".

Classless act. IMHO

Now I could be wrong about the location, but it was in Mexico.

 

NO Mexico is Correct!! this goes back a few years ago when a high school hockey team from massachusetts went to play hockey in i believe montreal and the canadien fans booed out national anthem and booed the kids as well, WHAT COMES AROUND GOES AROUND!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

They say that timing is everything in life -- the fortunate encounter, the well-placed one-liner, the knack for being at the right place at the right moment.

And then there's the Brockton youth hockey team and its ill-timed trip to Canada last year.

The road to Montreal had been a long but hopeful one, filled with late-night fund-raisers and early-morning practices and the unbridled expectations that accompany a group of 11- and 12-year-old boys as the whole world seems stretched out before them.

They hired a luxury bus with "Coach USA," the name of the charter company, emblazoned across it. And they embarked on the trip of their young lives, a journey to play against kids in the most hockey-crazed country on Earth.

Problem was, the timing. The United States had just launched its first bombing missions against Iraq, and as the bus pulled into Montreal it ran smack into a massive group of protesters marching down city streets.

Picture a scene out of a John Candy movie before it gets funny. "We don't even know what's going on at first," recalled parent Bill Carpenter, who had two sons on the team. "We just think we're going on a fun hockey trip that everyone's been looking forward to all year."

The protesters saw the "USA" on the bus and surrounded it. They hurled insults and objects at the slack-jawed little boys who stared back at them from inside. Not soon enough, police cruisers, lights flashing, escorted the bus to the Holiday Inn.

"This was our welcome to Montreal on a Thursday afternoon," Carpenter said.

From there, it only got worse. Some of the kids attended the NHL game in which the fans booed the US national anthem. They saw American flags doused in kerosene and burned. In their own games, they were jeered by the opposing players. The referee pretended to speak only French, and I mean nothing negative by saying that the use of the Romance languages isn't particularly prevalent among the hockey corps in Brockton.

"These 11- and 12-year-old kids became a lightning rod for anti-American sentiment," Carpenter said. "It wasn't everyone, but it was everywhere."

Said the coach, Ernie Nadeau: "It blew up in our face."

It was so bad that when the group crossed back over the US border a few days later, the entire bus broke into loud, spontaneous applause. There wasn't a kid or adult among them who planned to return to Canada again.

Flash ahead a year. A group of Canadian hockey officials and business people in the New Brunswick capital of Fredericton, embarrassed over the treatment, insisted on another visit.

They called and they called again. They raised more than $50,000 for expenses. They flew to Brockton to personally persuade the coaches to come back up north with their team.

And then they made an offer that sealed the deal: Rather than pit the Brockton kids against the Canadians, they'd divide the two teams, play together, and call it the Friendship Series.

"It struck a nerve for us," explained Roger Shannon, a high school hockey coach in Fredericton and key organizer. "Sometimes, when something happens, you have to try to make good on it in some way."

So the Brockton kids are heading up on March 23, gratis. They'll be met with a welcoming party at St. Stephen, known as Canada's chocolate town. In Fredericton, they'll attend the national collegiate hockey championship. They'll be given medallions and uniforms. They'll pose with the Stanley Cup. They'll play side by side with their new friends.

All you hear about in youth hockey is the bad: brawling fans, jeering parents, brutal coaches. And then this: common sense, humanity, redemption.

"I tell the boys, for every bad thing that happens, something good comes out of it," Nadeau says.

He couldn't be more right. For these kids in Brockton, that good might stay with them for the rest of their lives.

 

In Alberta,in late spring or early Fall, that same team once arriving would be taken to a Guest Ranch that has horses where the kids are are allowed to *feel the affect* of something good.
They would then be taken down to the BBQ pit area for some real Alberta hospitality of a Beef BBQ..

They might get a tour of the Olympic Saddledome and treated to a Hitmen Game.

Want to visit Canada ? come out West where appreciate our US neighbours

For some reason in Central Canada there always has to be an Episode of some sort ,reported by the media, before things happen the way they should have in the first place.

 

Of course I'm happy that the Sabres advance, but I will admit, in all honesty, that I thought Ottawa outplayed Buffalo more often than the other way around.

Even in a best of seven series, the best team doesn't always go away the winner.

 

Nice story about our neighbors to the north in one of Buffalo's suburban papers: http://www.tonawanda-news.com/sports...yword=topstory

Good perspectrive from a Sabres fan.

 

I can see it upset you but please don't paint all canadians with the same brush. Quebeb/Montreal, IMHO, are NOT part of Canada, they tried to separate from us and still want too. Like Mill1on said earlier, if you want to come to Canada, visit the west or east or even Ontario because you will find a difference in the ppl.

 

As a Bay area resident, and a die-hard Sharks fan, I was ashamed of the behavior of the hometown crowd Sunday night. There is no reason or excuse for that type of behavior. Boo the players, boo the team, but don't boo one of the few countries that still tolerates us, c'mon! Besides that just gives Edmonton motivation, like on other, to whip our fish smelling ***.
gw

 

Anyone watch the Oilers/Sharks game last night? I saw part of it. Saw some highlights from the Canes win, but only caught a small part of that. I couldn't even sware to you whether the game was last night or Tuesday night.

So Rollofson is the last remaining veteran goalie. Can you imagine being a rookie and having your name etched in the Cup? Some guys play lenghty careers and never get that priviledge.

Really looking forward to the Ducks/Oilers series. I probably won't get as many chances to see the Sabres/Canes series. Seems like all the Eastern games are being broadcast at 6:00 pm in the central time zone, and I'm not normally home yet.

(Oh, and although I am as red White and Blue as they come, Canada has been our ally and close friend since Hector was a Pup. And furthermore, I think "Oh Canada" is a beautiful anthem. I have no problem singing along (allbeit not in French). And furthermore, since I'm up here on the soap box, anyone that would think that booing a particular player while his photo is up on the jumbotron can be responded to by booing an entire country's national song is an idiot.)

 

Thought I'd bump this back up to the top.

Sabres/Canes should start 6:30 central, but from what I've seen it's the second and third periods that you want to see anyway. Canes totally dominated on Monday and last night (Wed) it was the Sabres turn.

 

Sabres play again Friday night. I hope they look as good as they did last night. WOW, what a great game that was.

Let's go Buffalo!!!!!

 

I think the winner of the west will win the cup. This is hard to admit but buffalo is good but I can't see any team beating the oilers like they're playing now-scratch the 6-3 loss 2nite.

 

No disrespect meant to the Oilers, but haven't they been outshot and outhit for most of this series, like the Sabres were against the Senators? Both teams are opportunistic (as opposed to lucky). The Oilers were a little too confident last night and it bit them, although I don't see Annahiem comming back. I think the Sabres were a little too confident in game 2, but now injuries may be a big factor. I think they're down to 3 of their starting defensemen.

 

I watched most of the third period and the OT of the Sabres/Canes game last night. Going to game seven, and what a way to force it... two back to back OT games. Pretty exciting stuff.
I heard that MacTavish(sp?) is worried that the Oilers will have to sit so long for the first game of the Finals. 8 whole days if I count correctly.