Florida fans make trip to Edmonton for Stanley Cup Final games
Posted June 20, 2024 2:42 pm.
Last Updated June 21, 2024 9:16 am.
For both the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers — it’s been a long-brutal travel schedule for the two teams in the Stanley Cup Final.
But even more so for Florida father-son duo making the very, very long trip between Edmonton and Fort Lauderdale.
“When we moved to Parkland, Panthers weren’t very good. Six-Seven years ago, and we could go to a hockey game for like $20,” explained Rick Lehecka, Panthers fan.
That was a long time ago and a far cry from the thousands of dollars it cost Florida Panthers fans to see Game 5 in Sunrise, Florida on Tuesday.
It’s more than 2,500 miles between the two cities.
Lehecka and his hockey player son Kyron made the trip from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to Edmonton for Game 4, headed back home for Game 5, and are now on their way to Edmonton for Game 6, saying they’ll be back home in Florida as well for a potential Game 7.
As for the price of all this?
“How much I told my wife, or how much I spent? It’s tens of thousands between the hotels and the airfare and the tickets — it’s tens of thousands — but who knows I can be gone tomorrow and this something I could remember me doing forever.”
Lehecka clarifies he isn’t dying, just introspective about getting older. Both father and son say despite being in enemy territory in Edmonton, they’ve received a warm welcome from Edmontonians.
“The fans have been incredible, all the fans we’ve met have been super nice,” said Kyron Lehecka, before his father added, “Yeah everyone we met at the game were super-nice.”
Game 6 is in Edmonton Friday.
