If certificates of commendation from the mayor and a celebration of excellence at the Ravens’ Nest weren’t enough, perhaps a standing ovation from 19,484 Senators fans showed the Ravens men’s basketball team what they really mean to the City of Ottawa.
The Ravens had the honour of performing a ceremonial puck drop before the Ottawa Senators game against the Carolina Hurricanes April 3 at Scotiabank Place. Before they stepped onto the ice, a video documenting their journey in Halifax this year delighted the Kanata crowd — enough to bring them to their feet.
“I’d be lying not to say that it was kind of cool,” said Elliot Thompson, one of the three graduating players who dropped the puck. “There are a lot of people that congratulate you, and nothing really goes without being unnoticed. But something like that, in front of so many people, and being out in the spotlight like that is awesome.”
After the puck drop, the men ventured up a few flights of stairs to their complimentary box seats, where food, drinks and NHL hockey awaited.
For Thompson and his teammates, the standing ovation was different from any other honours they’d received in the past five years. Usually when they win at nationals, they only get a box, their presence is announced over the speakers, and they just wave to the crowd, Thompson said.
However, when you tie the record for most Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) national championship titles, it’s tough to expect anything less.
“Coming out to the immediate standing ovation, everyone shot up at once, which was kind of cool,” Thompson continued. “Being that close to a bunch of professional athletes was pretty cool I think.”
Besides a few handshakes with Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson and Hurricanes captain Eric Staal after the puck drop, the team didn’t get to meet the players. However, Ravens head coach Dave Smart brought his son to the Senators’ afternoon skate, where he was afforded the special treat of meeting the team and shooting a puck around with them.
Brent Wallace, the Ottawa correspondent for TSN’s SportsCentre, said it’s not often one sees a team that can compete with the success of Smart’s Ravens.
“I’ve never seen something so dominant,” Wallace said. “I’m shocked that [Smart] is still coaching at the college level. He should be head coach for our men’s national team. He can deal with players, he knows how to deal with the egos, and he’s a proven winner. He’ll get guys to buy in and [the national] program has so many issues to deal with right now.”
Winning so many titles with a team that has to release players after five years is no small feat, he said. Wallace, who has covered several CIS national championships at the Halifax Metro Centre, said there’s little doubt that Smart will keep up the pace.
“I don’t know how you’d bet against him. There were times when he said he was in a rebuild year and then continued to win, so I don’t believe anything he says anymore. He just finds a way to win,” he said. “I think there are guys on his team who don’t get a lot of credit, the guys who recruit players and find talent. I just think that program is phenomenal.”
Next year, the Ravens bring the competition home as the Final 8 tournament will be held at the same place where over 19,000 fans gave them the warmest reception yet.
