REGINA — Coincidence or fate Jason and Jennifer Cran couldn’t help but wonder after their family’s summer vacation in Nova Scotia resulted in a
chance encounter with Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. The Crans booked their holiday in December — along with sons Liam, 11, and JJ, 5 — to visit Jennifer’s family near Halifax. Little did they know that the nearby community of Cole Harbour would be holding a special 22nd-birthday celebration for Crosby, who brought the Stanley Cup back to his hometown. Upon hearing the news, the family made the trek to Cole Harbour on Aug. 7, hoping for a glimpse of the NHL’s biggest superstar. They got a whole lot more. Upon joining the festivities in Cole Harbour — including a parade and concert — the Crans purchased two $10 posters for charity, allowing them to enter their sons’ names in a draw for a chance to meet Crosby and get a picture taken with the Cup. Only 87 names were selected — matching Crosby’s number — but, as luck would have it, Liam and JJ were both among them. “The odds were just astronomical for that to happen,” noted Jason. “It was great. The whole day was unreal. Just to be there was great. You really got a vibe about how much those people love that kid. We were so glad we took the kids. It was a great holiday. Hands down it was one of the highlights of the summer.”
Ironically, it was the third time that JJ had his picture taken with the Stanley Cup. When he was a baby, Jason took his son to his hometown of Davidson to meet Cory Sarich, who won the Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004. Then, two years ago, JJ had another photo opportunity when Ryan Getzlaf of the Anaheim Ducks brought the Cup back to Regina.