God save the Queen.
Posted on 10/07/2002 5:25:25 PM PDT by xp38
VANCOUVER -- The Queen thrilled thousands of NHL fans last night at GM Place and countless others watching on TV when she walked to centre ice and made royal history by dropping a ceremonial puck between the captains of the Vancouver Canucks and San Jose Sharks.
As spectators at the packed pre-season game cheered wildly with approval and appreciation, the Queen entered the ice surface from one end of the arena and walked along a red carpet to centre ice.
She walked alongside Wayne Gretzky, now retired but widely regarded as the monarch of hockey.
Gretzky handed the puck to the Queen, who displayed what some would call a rookie technique, crouching slightly at the knees and gingerly dropping the puck.
It was an event many would have never thought possible -- a British monarch paying tribute to Canada's favourite sport with such a tangible gesture.
ANTICIPATION
Since the 76-year-old Elizabeth first agreed to drop the puck, anticipation of the event seemed to overtake everything else on the carefully planned tour -- because it's so stunningly offbeat for the Queen to immerse herself in this manner in another country's passionate pastime.
The Queen and Gretzky were also accompanied onto the ice last night by former hockey great Howie Meeker, along with Canucks defenceman Ed Jovanovski and Cassie Campbell, the captain of the Canadian women's Olympic gold medal team.
Both Jovanovski and Campbell wore their Olympic hockey jerseys.
After she dropped the puck and God Save the Queen was played, Elizabeth left the ice and walked to the royal box to watch the first period with Gretzky and B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell before retiring for the night.
She spent most of the period leaning forward in her seat, occasionally asking questions of Gretzky or Campbell.
"She was curious about why penalties were being called," Gretzky told reporters later. "She also talked about the goaltenders and how quick they were."
CHANNEL SURFING
Gretzky also said the Queen asked about what channel the game was on because she and Philip might watch the final two periods when they got back to their hotel.
The Queen discussed a 1951 game between the Leafs and Blackhawks she saw in Toronto as a 25-year-old princess, and said she still had the puck from that game, he said.
Cassie Campbell, who sat beside the Duke of Edinburgh in the royal box, said Philip seemed keenly interested.
"He couldn't understand icings and offsides," said Campbell. "He was asking questions about the game and he seemed really relaxed. They were very interested in what was going on on the ice."
God save the Queen.
No, what's it like?
Nice one.
The Austro-Hungarian Empire is a great example.
I think it is fascinating how she is trying to adapt to the change in how the monarchy is viewed, and this is a good example.
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