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Local New Jersey Devils fan gets the VIP treatment

December 7, 2017   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

A local sports fan got the full VIP treatment during a visit to the Air Canada Centre on November 16, courtesy of Rogers Media, as a result of being one of the winners in their ‘100 Years, 100 Fans’ contest.

In celebration of the NHL’s centennial year, fans were given the opportunity to enter a contest that featured a visit to an NHL practice and tickets to a game. It turns out there was a lot more to the winning package than Rogers let on.

Orangeville resident Josh Latter is a huge New Jersey Devils fan who decided to enter the contest.

He had to fill out a questionnaire asking about his interest in the sport and why he would be a good candidate to take part in the event.

When he was notified that he was a winner, he was thrilled to be able to go see a practice in the morning and watch a game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and his favourite New Jersey Devils that evening.

Josh brought along his girlfriend Jacklyn Quinn as his one allotted guest.

They, along with a few other contest winners were treated very well by their hosts and given a tour of the facility that included areas that the public is usually not allowed to see.

“They told us we would be able to see the Leafs practise then see the Devils practise,” Josh said. “We watched the practice then they took us on a tour and through a VIP lounge on the lower level. They told us to go in another room and wait. There was a ping-pong table and they were kind of following us around with cameras so I thought something might happen.”

Sure enough, New Jersey Devils forward Taylor Hall arrived to greet Josh and the other contest winners.

“I knew him right away,” Josh said. “I could name off any of the Devils by face at any game. It was kind of shocking at first so I didn’t know what to say. There was another fan that went on with a lot of questions, but then I asked him about one of the players who was just coming back from an injury and how that would work in the line-up. We talked about where he was from – he’s from Kingston. He asked why I was a Devils fan since I live in the Leafs Nation and that kind of thing.”

Despite having a little fan shock for a few moments after meeting Hall face to face, Josh is very knowledgeable of the hockey world and the Devil’s Club and conversed easily with the well known forward.

They even played a little ping-pong for the cameras.

Prior to the game, Josh and Jacklyn visited the arena media booth and met with several of the Devils broadcasters.

The Leafs ended up winning the game 1-0 in overtime.

Rogers also provided a hotel room and reservations at the Real Sports Bar in Toronto.

Footage of Josh’s visit along with other contest winners will be broadcast at a later date.

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