Friday, February 22, 2002
Crowds lift Iggy onto Cloud 9
By ERIC FRANCIS -- Calgary Sun
WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah -- Jarome Iginla has played in world championships, at the world juniors, in the NHL playoffs and the Memorial Cup.
Yet, the 24-year-old Calgary Flames forward says nothing could have prepared him for this, his first Olympic experience.
"Before each game, you get a few butterflies and get excited because we can hear the Canadian fans singing and cheering in the building," said Iginla, who will play one of the biggest games of his life today when Canada meets Belarus in semifinal play.
"It's like a movie -- you hear them before you even come out."
Playing three of their four games in the 10,000-seat E-Center, Iginla says he's been absolutely stunned by the raucous crowd that embraces the Canadians every game.
"In the NHL, you might see people with their shirts off and all painted up but here you see it in every corner of the rink," said Iginla, of the crowds that have been dominated by fans in red and white for all their games.
"Their faces are painted, they're standing up the whole game. There's a real buzz. The noise in the rink is unbelievable -- it gets rockin'."
Playing on a line with Joe Sakic and Simon Gagne, Iginla hasn't really been rockin' or rollin' as he has all season in the NHL.
Although Team Canada executive director Wayne Gretzky said yesterday Iginla and Owen Nolan have been the team's biggest surprises with their consistency, Iginla has yet to find the scoresheet.
"I'm starting to feel more comfortable with every game," said Iginla, who has eight shots and no points in four games.
"I've been getting a lot of shots and chances. I'd like to see them start going in but until now we haven't really needed the goals."
Although his Olympic experience has essentially been limited to the hockey rink, Iginla has enjoyed meeting many of the other Canadian athletes and coaches in the athletes village where groups congregate to watch the other hockey games.
Among others, he has spent some time with Jamie Sale and David Pelletier and managed to attend last night's 3-2 win for Canada in the woman's hockey final.
"I haven't seen too much, we're pretty busy," smiled Iginla, whose family and fiance are here.
"The whole experience is a lot bigger than anything I've experienced before."
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2002 Games Men's Hockey Coverage
